Tunisian prime minister visits Qatar to boost economic ties

By Yousra Ounes

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) - Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi has started an official visit to Qatar for talks on strengthening bilateral economic ties, the Tunisian government said on Saturday.

Mechichi will meet with top Qatari officials during his 3-day visit to the Gulf nation to discuss cooperation between the two countries in all fields, the government said in a statement.

“The visit represents an important opportunity to bolster fraternity and cooperation relations between the two countries in all fields, particularly in the economic domain,” the statement said.

Riadh Chaibi, a political adviser to the head of the Ennhada party, Rachid Ghannouchi, said Mechichi’s visit comes to follow up on a recent visit by Ghannouchi to Qatar earlier this month.

Chaibi said Tunisia may be granted $2 billion in loan and deposit from Qatar in the upcoming months.

The Tunisian adviser said Qatar will also sponsor an international investment conference in the hope of attracting around $25 billion of investment to Tunisia in the coming 5 years.

He added that Doha will also provide Tunisia with two million doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

Both Tunisia and Qatar have signed dozens of cooperation agreements, including 10 economic deals, according to the Tunisian media.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report