Romano Prodi’s visit with President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis on October, 30, 2006 – one of the stops on his 20-day visit to North Africa and the Middle East – highlighted Italy’s growing interest in Tunisia as an investment destination. Italy is the second largest source of foreign investment in the country, with almost 650 firms and an estimated $758 million of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) so far, a figure that does not include the investment in the energy sector. It is estimated that more than 47,000 jobs have been created through Italian funds. Just over half (56%) of all Italian investment in the country is accounted for by textile-related industries. There are roughly 320 Italian companies involved in textile, leather and shoe manufacturing, with a cumulated investment of roughly $204.6 million. Despite the end of the Multi-Fibre Agreement, Tunisia continues to attract Italian brands looking for
