Souradj Koulamallah: “Tunis and N’Djamena share a long friendship”

Since the start of 2014, Chad has become a goose that lays golden eggs, judging by the many business visits it has received: Europeans, Asians, Americans and now Africans. Logone Inside looks back with Mr Souradj Koulamallah at the highlights of the economic forum held in Chad on 23 and 24 June 2014.

Mr President, can this enthusiasm for Chad be credited to the positive record of its policies and its stability?

Of course — I will answer you plainly in the affirmative. It is the political success of one man, His Excellency President Idriss Deby Itno, and of his team, that has allowed our country to regain its place among the great nations. This has given us undeniably credible visibility in the eyes of all investors. Proof of this lies in his personal commitments, at home and abroad, to promote peace. As you know, without peace nothing is possible.

During this visit we noticed a large delegation of senior Tunisian business people. How do you read this?

You should know that today the conquest of new markets is redefining positioning strategies in the business world. The Maghreb countries, which in the past were somewhat reluctant about sub-Saharan Africa, are now abandoning that misconception and looking for promising new African markets. In my view this is a very good thing. And Chad, a country with strong investment potential thanks to its growth rate and political stability, has real arguments to put forward.

How do you assess this Tunisian economic mission to Chad?

Satisfactory… Let me explain. First, the level of sponsorship: the highest patronage of the two heads of state, H.E. Idriss Deby Itno for Chad and H.E. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki for Tunisia. Second, the concrete expression of both countries’ will to do business together, through the eight partnership agreements signed — I was myself one of the signatories. Finally, the calibre of both delegations showed how serious this was; you witnessed it yourself.

We saw two partnership agreements signed between the president of Chad’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture, Mines and Crafts and the president of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts. What do they contain?

Nothing serious can be done without a regulatory framework, hence the importance of these agreements between CCIAMA and UTICA. They focus mainly on promoting Chad-Tunisia cooperation and the economic complementarity of the two countries in every sector, through the creation of a Tunisian-Chadian business council whose members will be appointed, together with the relevant legal framework.

Can there be a legal framework without diplomatic representation between Chad and Tunisia?

There is an honorary Tunisian consulate in Chad, and the success of this business visit is also owed to it — I would like to thank it. That said, you saw for yourself that both foreign ministers attended and signed agreements during the forum. It should not be long now. I can assure you: Tunis and N’Djamena share a long friendship.

Interview by Moïse Aignan