(TAP) - An agreement was signed, on Friday, between the "Smart Tunisia" programme, the Sfax technopark and 10 Tunisian and foreign companies established in Tunisia and operating in the field of new technologies. The goal is the creation of 1,000 new jobs for Tunisian graduates in the next three years.

Under this agreement, those companies undertake to create the job positions promised and in return, the State undertakes to promote their development and expansion, Minister of Communication Technologies and the Digital Economy Anouar Maarouf said in a statement to TAP.

Maarouf reminded that the programme "Smart Tunisia" was launched with the objective of promoting the creation of high value-added jobs for Tunisian skills, by attracting totally exporting companies operating in the technological sector in Tunisia.

The aim is to make Tunisia a regional platform in the field of digital technology, as part of the Digital Tunisia 2020 programme, which provides for the creation of 50 thousand jobs.

"So far, we have managed to create more than 10 thousand jobs and we are determined to continue working on this programme," he said.

For his part, Badreddine Wali, president of Smart Tunisia (ST), said that the ST programme enjoys significant financial support from the state, during this difficult economic climate, which makes "this support very valuable ".

He also praised the efforts of Tunisian and foreign start-ups in boosting the country's economic activity.