The Ministry of Industry and Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises, The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), The Tunisian Solidarity Bank (French: BTS) and the Bank for Financing Small-and Medium Sized-Entreprises (French: BFPME), signed on Monday four cooperation agreements to support the creation of Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

During the signing ceremony of the accords, Minister of Industry and Small-and Medium-Sized Entreprises Slim Feriani said the first agreement is part of the 2nd phase programme Initiative for Economic stabilisation and Youth Employment financed thanks to a donation of 4 million euros ( around 12 million dinars).

The first phase of the programme (2015/2017), further specified the minister, ensured a technical and financial support to 308 entrepreneurs in 14 interior governorates, the creation of 828 jobs and the production start of more than 90 enterprises.

Regarding the 2nd phase due to last until 2021, the minister emphasised it fosters the technical support of around 500 young entrepreneurs, and the coaching of SMEs during the post-creation phase and the production start of 150 new companies before the end of 2021.

The ultimate objective of the Initiative for Economic stabilisation and Youth Employment programme is to guarantee a support of 800 young entrepreneurs, encourage the production start of more than 240 enterprises and create 2,300 jobs by 2021.

For his part, German ambassador to Tunisia, Andreas Reinicke stressed the success of the first phase of the Initiative for Economic stabilisation and Youth Employment programme, notably in inland regions. The importance of these agreements resides in supporting youths not only on the finanicial level, added the ambassador.

The accords concluded will encourage a rapid management of files presented to the banks in question, to present a positive or negative response to youths with ideas who already have developed their bussiness plans and have submitted them to banks to profit from funding. The response delay must not exceed one month, said the ambassador.

Once the funding is granted, youths will profit from support, stressed the diplomat, recalling the first three years of a young enterprise are essential to its survival and sustainability.

During the same ceremony, the four parties signed an agreement by which the second phase of the cooperation programme of Innovation, Regional Economic Development and Employment will be achieved and will continue for the period 2018/2021 with a total budget of 11.9 million euros.

This programme allowed during its first phase a presentation of technical support to 49 enterprises in terms of human resources management, 40 companies operating in the field of marketing and 31 others specialised in the sector of technological transfer.

It is also an implementation of a diagnostic operation of four industrial sectors (electronic and electrical industries, textile and clothing, food industries and pharmaceutical industries), in addition to developing diagnostic studies of 10 value chains.

Tap 2018 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).