Tunisia for deeper engagement with the CFC
H.E. Mr. Slim Ghariani, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to the Netherlands, is seen with Managing Director Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal at the Secretariat of the CFC. H.E. Mr. Slim Ghariani came to visit CFC, for the first time, to know more about the activities of the CFC and its impact on the ground.
Ambassador Ghariani was accompanied by Ms. Haifa Ben Alaya, Counsellor of Foreign Affairs at the Embassy. Ambassador Belal was accompanied by Mr. Hector Besong, Portfolio and Risk Manager.
During the discussion following an introductory presentation on CFC, Ambassador Belal briefed Ambassador Ghariani on the current as well as probable future initiatives of the CFC. Ambassador Belal requested Ambassador Ghariani to help CFC with their success stories and thereby help CFC to improve the format and character of CFC projects.
Ambassador Belal also briefed Ambassador Ghariani on the ongoing initiative on the formulation of a fund titled CIIF (Commodity Impact Investment Facility) and thereby enabling CFC to contribute more for alleviation of poverty. Once formed, CIIF could also be an avenue for member countries to join this impact investment fund as anchor investors.
Ambassador Belal also congratulated Tunisia for their outstanding performance (45/133) in the Economic Complexity Index Ranking (ECI) and wishes to see transfer of more knowledge and practices among the clients and beneficiaries of CFC in the region and beyond. It may be noted that ECI looks to explain the knowledge accumulated in a population and that is expressed in the economic activities present in a country.
Before taking leave, Ambassador Ghariani assured that he will do his best to bring good project ideas from his country and the region as well as promoting the idea of impact investment as best as he could. Ambassador Belal urged Ambassador Ghariani to disseminate the information with business chambers, Ministries, and enterprises so that qualified SMEs/enterprises could submit quality projects from Tunisia for consideration by the Executive Board of CFC, and to attend potential entrepreneurs from Tunisia to attend the CFC webinar sessions arranged for potential applicants to the CFC call for proposals.
Ambassador Belal assured to pursue more innovative outreaches in the days to come to make the services of CFC available to as many people as possible in the commodity dependent developing world, with a heightened sense of innovations and creativity.