Four export consortia of women-owned/led businesses have just been legally launched in the form of economic interest groupings (EIG) for the first time in Tunisia.
The creation of these consortia active in the crafts and cosmetics, agriculture and agribusiness, services and information and communication technologies (ICT), is in line with the project “Promotion of export activities to new markets in sub-Saharan Africa (PEMA II).”
Composed of 52 women entrepreneurs, these groups, each of which now has a brand under the branding “Women Export” (WE), were presented Friday in Tunis to the exporting ecosystem and the general public.
The aim is to increase their visibility in order to increase their reputation at local and international levels and to enhance their positioning as export consortia composed of women-led businesses.
After a year-long process during which women entrepreneurs were offered coaching during a set of workshops, the consortia formation phase was completed with the signing of the legal statutes of four new economic interest groups.
The women entrepreneurs, who formed four different consortia according to their sectors of activity, are currently working on their action plan for the period 2023/2024 to exploit the potential of sub-Saharan African markets.
The consortium of “Information and Communication Technologies” (WE TIC) is composed of 13 companies specialised in the sectors of digital transformation and data, training and education technologies and digital marketing and communication offering solutions oriented towards Web, Mobile, virtual reality, augmented reality and Data.
The goal is to help it (WE TIC) become the leading ICT service provider in Africa by offering a comprehensive, unique and customised package for its partners and providing a wide range of IT solutions that meet their needs.
The consortium of “Information and Communication Technologies” (WE TIC) is composed of 13 companies specialised in the sectors of digital transformation and data, training and education technologies and digital marketing and communication offering solutions oriented towards Web, Mobile, virtual reality, augmented reality and Data.
The goal is to help it (WE TIC) become the leading ICT service provider in Africa by offering a comprehensive, unique and customised package for its partners and providing a wide range of IT solutions that meet their needs.
The Services consortium (WE Value) is composed of 10 consulting and training firms managed by women. It operates in the fields of consulting, coaching and training for the benefit of companies and organisations.
It supports the activity of companies through various expertises (one-off or long-term missions, support or delegated implementation, to bring added value, said head of the consortium Wafa Ben Abdallah.
The “Craft and Cosmetics consortium (WE Create) is made up of 13 companies operating in cosmetics, leather goods and textiles, as well as decoration and design, which promote the creation of craft products derived from natural sources in an environmentally friendly way.
The “Agri-Food Agriculture” (WE Raise) consortium consists of 11 women entrepreneurs operating in agriculture, who have decided to combine their know-how to offer local high quality and nutritional value products, said head of the consortium Dhouha Azri.
Founder of a company specialising in fruit and vegetable processing and preservation and olive oil packaging, Azri pointed out that WE RAISE seeks to be “a reference for sustainable development and to shine internationally with the best offer of healthy and natural products stemming from the ancestral know-how of the Tunisian terroir.”
The goal is to improve and stabilise the women farmers’ level of income, offer integrated food processing from the farm to the market, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture and seek synergies between members for better market access.
Head of German Cooperation at the German Embassy to Tunisia Fritz Jung recalled that the German Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economic Cooperation and Development had adopted at the beginning of March a “feminist” development strategy which now guides all the country’s external actions.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate of women involved in entrepreneurial activity in the world, i.e. 26%.
However, between 70 and 80% of African informal traders are women, he lamented.
Referring to the situation in Tunisia, Jung recalled that the country ranks first in North Africa in terms of women’s integration, hence the need to improve their prospects.
He pointed out that Tunisia currently exports only a minimal proportion (3%) of its products to sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on a limited number of countries.
The diversification of trade partners is crucial for Tunisia to be able to exploit the economic dynamic of sub-Saharan African markets in the future, he argued.
Today there is an interest in focusing on trade with the African continent where Tunisia can play a more important role given its developed economy and its proximity to European and Arab markets, the official considered.
Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), PEMA II is implemented by the German Agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Export Development and the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX).
The project targets Tunisian SMEs, with a particular focus on companies managed by women, which are under-represented and do not generally operate in the export field.
The project offers a range of services and support measures to companies in collaboration with its partner, the Tunisian Export Promotion Center (CEPEX). With an emphasis on business partnerships, such as consortia, that enable businesses to work together in exploring new markets, digital approaches and networking formats, and the promotion of public-private dialogue the project proposes an array of coordinated measures.
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