Tunisia: The Maghreb Economic Forum, First Entirely North African Think Tank
6 February 2013
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A roundtable organized by a nascent Maghreb think tank: the "Maghreb Economic Forum", tackling a major problem in the region, namely employment. This is the beginning of a new dynamic spurred by the atmosphere of freedom that seems to reign in the North African region since the winds of the so-called Arab Spring blew there.
Kamel Lazaar, president of the Maghreb Economic Forum, is a Tunisian who did not want to remain a passive spectator but preferred to be an actor in the future of not only Tunisia but the entire region: "The Maghreb has 90 million inhabitants and invaluable resources, it is time for it to evolve differently," he declared during a press conference held on Friday, February 1, on the sidelines of the roundtable.
This think tank, launched in partnership with Maghreb figures, will be representative of the five countries and will position itself as apolitical: "We have no political pretensions, we want to stimulate reflection and encourage studies relating to the major issues of our countries and the concerns of our populations. Businessmen, associations, study centers and think tanks will examine and consider the feasibility of the projects and initiatives discussed during our debates."
The Maghreb think tank will not align itself with any other outside the Maghreb: "We need to find each other, organize ourselves and structure ourselves before considering deeper partnerships with our foreign counterparts."
The roundtable, which focused on themes such as the challenges and obstacles of Maghreb integration, integration as a vector for attracting FDI in the Maghreb, employment and migration flows, generated reassuring enthusiasm among many experts, private operators and other representatives of civil society.
To chair the workshops, personalities from the worlds of business, economics and international organizations ensured the animation of the debates in which, among other things, important issues were raised, such as those relating to renewable energies or the agricultural sector. "Do you know that olive oil, of which Tunisia is one of the world's largest producers, is a product that is currently losing ground in Europe? Tunisian olive oil, mixed with that produced in countries like Spain or Italy and labeled under their brands (sold for $4 in producing countries and $40 in the USA), is no longer as successful as before and these countries are gradually withdrawing from the market?" explained Kamel Lazaar.
He recalled that two years ago, the creation of a think tank was inconceivable in Tunisia, it is still just as much so given the absence of an appropriate legal framework for such an organization. Today, this is still the case and it is for this reason that the think tank was founded abroad and in Tunisia and will have representations in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania until legislation allows the establishment of foundations and strategic reflection centers.
Amel Belhadj Ali
Published on February 5, 2013
Posted online on February 6, 2013
Webmanagercenter
Kamel Lazaar, president of the Maghreb Economic Forum, is a Tunisian who did not want to remain a passive spectator but preferred to be an actor in the future of not only Tunisia but the entire region: "The Maghreb has 90 million inhabitants and invaluable resources, it is time for it to evolve differently," he declared during a press conference held on Friday, February 1, on the sidelines of the roundtable.
This think tank, launched in partnership with Maghreb figures, will be representative of the five countries and will position itself as apolitical: "We have no political pretensions, we want to stimulate reflection and encourage studies relating to the major issues of our countries and the concerns of our populations. Businessmen, associations, study centers and think tanks will examine and consider the feasibility of the projects and initiatives discussed during our debates."
The Maghreb think tank will not align itself with any other outside the Maghreb: "We need to find each other, organize ourselves and structure ourselves before considering deeper partnerships with our foreign counterparts."
The roundtable, which focused on themes such as the challenges and obstacles of Maghreb integration, integration as a vector for attracting FDI in the Maghreb, employment and migration flows, generated reassuring enthusiasm among many experts, private operators and other representatives of civil society.
To chair the workshops, personalities from the worlds of business, economics and international organizations ensured the animation of the debates in which, among other things, important issues were raised, such as those relating to renewable energies or the agricultural sector. "Do you know that olive oil, of which Tunisia is one of the world's largest producers, is a product that is currently losing ground in Europe? Tunisian olive oil, mixed with that produced in countries like Spain or Italy and labeled under their brands (sold for $4 in producing countries and $40 in the USA), is no longer as successful as before and these countries are gradually withdrawing from the market?" explained Kamel Lazaar.
He recalled that two years ago, the creation of a think tank was inconceivable in Tunisia, it is still just as much so given the absence of an appropriate legal framework for such an organization. Today, this is still the case and it is for this reason that the think tank was founded abroad and in Tunisia and will have representations in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania until legislation allows the establishment of foundations and strategic reflection centers.
Amel Belhadj Ali
Published on February 5, 2013
Posted online on February 6, 2013
Webmanagercenter
