OPR- Tuesday, 4th July, 2006

President Edward Fenech Adami met President Ben Ali at Carthage Palace during his first day of the State visit to the Republic of Tunisia. President Ben Ali visited Malta in June 2005.

The highlight of the visit was the first of two scheduled meetings of the two Presidents at Carthage Palace.

On arriving in Tunis The President and Mrs. Fenech Adami were welcomed by a Guard of Honour and by the President of the Republic of Tunisia and Mrs. Ben Ali at Carthage Palace.

Later, The President and Mrs. Fenech Adami visited Archaeological sites in the ancient city of Carthage which included visits to the Museum of Carthage, the Heights of Byrsa and also to the hot springs in Antonin.

In the afternoon Mrs. Fenech Adami visited SOS Gammarth Village a centre for children who require special attention.

The delegation accompanying The President includes representatives of the Malta Tourism Authority, Malta Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Industry, Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, Air Malta, and a business delegation: Bedra Ltd, Omni Tech Ltd, Guillaumier Business Dinamics, Datanet Security Systems Ltd, Hdroelectric, Ltd, IML Ltd, Elect. Importers Association, Pharmadox Health Care Ltd and In Costa Events Ltd. Today, a business forum appropriately called Tunisia-Malta Partnership Day, was addressed by President Fenech Adami and the Minister for Development and International Cooperation Mohamed Nouri Jouini.

The business forum was an opportunity for Maltese business representatives to seek possible prospects to penetrate further Tunisian market.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Embassy of Malta in Tunis and in coordination with the Tunisian Centre for the promotion of Export (CEPEX) organised one-to-one meetings for Maltese and Tunisian businessmen.

After lunch, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Michael Frendo met Minister  Foreign Affairs Mr. Abdelwaheb Abdallah. They signed three agreements: the Cooperation Agreement in the field of Handicrafts Between the Government of Malta and the Government of the Republic of Tunisia; Agreement between the Government of Malta and the Government of the Republic of Tunisia on cooperation in the fields of Medical Services and Public Health and the Cooperation agreement between the Government of Malta and the Government of the Republic of Tunisia in the field of Information and Communication Technologies.

The Minister also had a meeting with Mohamed Nouri Jouini, Minister for Development and International Cooperation.

The State Dinner hosted by President and Mrs. Ben Ali in honour of The President of Malta and Mrs. Fenech Adami will bring to an end the first day of the State Visit to Tunisia.