Day: June 29, 2024

Tunis: The monthly trade deficit widened by 12% in May 2024 compared with the previous month, to TND 1,442.1 million, compared with TND 1,268 million in April, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

The export-import cover ratio fell by 2.3 points compared with April 2024, to stand at 78.6%.

In May, trade was marked by a 1.3% fall in exports, and a 1.5% rise in imports compared with the previous month.

Excluding energy products, exports were almost stagnant (0.1%), while imports were up by 6%.

//Exports in the agriculture and agri-food sector down 10.9%//

The decline in exports is explained by falls in certain sectors, notably agriculture and agri-food, which were down by 10.9%.

The energy and lubricants sector also suffered a decrease, down 26.1%. The mechanical and electrical engineering industry saw a slight fall of 1.5%.

Other sectors, on the other hand, recorded increases. Exports of textiles, clothing and leather grew by 13.9%, with a notable rise of

15.7% for textiles and clot
hing and 6.7% for leather and footwear.

In addition, the mining, phosphates and derivatives sector posted substantial growth of 18.3%. Exports of miscellaneous manufacturing industries were nearly stagnant at 0.4%.

Exports to the European Union increased by 6.1%, with a sharp rise of 28.3% to Germany. Exports to Spain were up by 7.9%, Italy by 1.7% and France by 1.3%.

Likewise, exports to the Maghreb Union countries picked up, with an increase of 27.2%, despite the 29.7% drop recorded with Egypt.

On the other hand, exports to the United States fell by 22.5%, the United Kingdom by 14% and Russia by 20.4%.

//Imports of raw materials and semi-finished products up by 14.6%//

Growth in imports was driven mainly by a 14.6% rise in imports of raw materials and semi-finished products.

Furthermore, after two months of decline, food imports rebounded by 20%.

Conversely, purchases of capital goods remained fairly stable, with a slight rise of 0.6%. Imports of energy products continued to fall for the second cons
ecutive month in a row, down by 15.4%. Consumer goods also fell by 5.4%.

Imports from the European Union were almost flat. However, imports showed major increases from Italy (+39.1%) and Spain (+33.7%).

Conversely, imports from Germany were down by 3.9%, Malta by 49.5% and the Netherlands by 18.9%.

Imports from the Maghreb region rose by 9.3%, with 35.3% increase from Egypt.

Meanwhile, imports from Russia fell by 35.6%, China by 2.6%, the UK by 6.6%, and Turkey by 9.3%.

Imports from Switzerland, however, rose by 113.1%, and from the United States by 36.1%.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

TUNIS: Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Fatma Chiboub Thabet welcomed, during her meeting held on Saturday, with General Manager of BYD Middle East and Africa, AD Huang «the excellent Tunisian-Chinese relations in various areas.»

She added that «the investment areas will certainly boost joint cooperation with the Chinese BYD group, a leader in the automobile industry, motorcycles, electric buses and the rechargeable battery industry.»

The minister also spoke of the Tunisian expertise in the field of the car components industry, stressing that a significant number of global companies have expressed their interest in investing in Tunisia and launching new projects in the automotive components industry, the ministry said in a statement released on Saturday.

The minister highlighted that the development of electric transport will help reduce carbon, greenhouse gas emissions as well as energy costs at the national level «as the transport sector in Tunisia is the one that consumes the highest levels of hyd
rocarbons.»

AD Huang, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation, expressed will to invest in Tunisia and contribute to the development of the electric transport sector as well as provide smart solutions in the field of renewable energy.

The international group «BYD» is based in over 40 countries and creates nearly 600,000 jobs worldwide.

It is considered the 2nd supplier, internationally, in the rechargeable battery industry with the presentation of 15 patents daily in the field of electric transport.

The group’s Tunisian subsidiary was created in 2017. It invests in clean energy and in the automobile and electric bus industry as well as rechargeable batteries. The subsidiary is divided into three units.

The meeting, which was attended by a delegation from the group’s subsidiary in Tunisia “Helios Tunisie”, made it possible to review the prospects for cooperation and investment between the two parties in the fields of electric transport, research and development as well as in industry, renewable ener
gy, storage and electrical transport.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Tunisia officially acceded to the Protocol Amending the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) adopted in Geneva on December 6, 2005.

The declaration of membership was published in the shape of a decree issued by President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed in the Official Journal of the Tunisian Republic in its issue N°79 of the year 2024.

The Assemby of the People’s Representatives adopted a draft basic law on Tunisia’s accession to this agreement on May 29, 2024.

The TRIPS Agreement sets minimum standards of protection for copyrights and related rights, trademarks, geographical indications (GIs), industrial designs, patents, integrated circuit layout designs, and undisclosed information.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse