Tunisia's Qawafel Project: Boosting SMEs and Startups in Africa
During the FITA 2024 event held on June 11, the Secretary of State for SMEs, Samir Abdelhafidh, highlighted the essential role of the state in supporting Tunisian businesses. This support is materializing through concrete and ambitious initiatives, such as the Qawafel project, a Tunisian-French collaboration aimed at internationalizing Tunisian startups and SMEs on the African continent.
Financed by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Qawafel project is based on three major axes:
- Accompanying Tunisian businesses in their conquest of African markets
- Strengthening the visibility and economic influence of Tunisia on priority markets
- Establishing a regulatory and institutional framework conducive to internationalization
The Qawafel project gives particular attention to accompanying Tunisian businesses in their expansion in Africa, playing a crucial role in structuring and consolidating Tunisia's ecosystem dedicated to internationalization.
To achieve these ambitious objectives, a first call for projects with an envelope of €600,000 has been launched. The contract signing ceremony between the AFD and six support structures, selected for their excellence and expertise in accompanying Tunisian SMEs and startups on African markets, took place yesterday, marking an important milestone in the project.
Samir Abdelhafidh congratulated these structures for their commitment and expertise, expressing his conviction that their support will enable Tunisian businesses to thrive internationally. This success will contribute to strengthening Tunisia's economic presence in Africa.