(TAP) – Tunisia will host the first MENA Franchise Expo in November 2019, which will serve to forge new partnerships among "franchise" women in the region, exchange know-how and find out new markets potentials said Tuesday. Leila Belkhiria Jaber, President of the National Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs (French:CNFCE).

Speaking at a seminar on "franchise, as a solution to the economic crisis", the official said that the Chamber is working to make Tunisia a crossroad for women franchisees in the MENA region and the entire African continent

Besides, she reminded that the Franchise allows a promoter to benefit from the notoriety, know-how and marketing of an existing brand, whether local or foreign, which is able to facilitate its success and to minimise the risks of failure.

Taking part in this meeting, Minister of Industry and Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Slim Feriani, said that franchise is a means for founding new businesses, boosting job creation, supporting trade and improving the quality of life and attraction of foreign investment, through the establishment of large foreign brands in the territory.

"But our challenge now is to develop Tunisian-Tunisian franchise models, by multiplying the same brand's sales outlets throughout the country, and also to export Tunisian brands abroad. which is the case for several agri-food brands, "he noted.

According to the minister, the franchise is one of the means mobilised to boost entrepreneurship in Tunisia, which is able to promote the recovery of our economy.

In this context, Feriani recalled that several mechanisms have been

mobilised for this purpose, including the law on public-private partnership, and the Start-up Act on the promotion of start-ups, which will soon be examined and adopted by the House of People's Representatives (HPR).

For her part, Rym Bedoui Ayari, member of the Executive Board of the Tunisian Franchise Association, said there are several international brands established in Tunisia, 35% from France and 25% from the US. These franchisors represent several sectors of activity, including distribution, cosmetics, catering...

As for the local franchise, she cited a series of banners covering mainly the agri-food sector, including Masmoudi, Gourmandise, Plan B, Mliha and El Mazraa, which has more than 1,000 points of sale.

"Several cases of new franchises of major foreign brands are currently being finalised, representing a multitude of sectors, including clothing and agri-food," she said.