Tunis/Tunisia — Finance Minister Sihèm Boughdiri Nessima said 100 communitarian companies will be created in 2024 and pedged to provide necessary funding lines.

The amount earmarked in 2023/2024 stands at TND 36 million, she further said as she chaired Thursday a ceremony to inaugurate a space dedicated to communitarian companies at the premises of the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (French: BTS) in company of the Employment and Vocational Training Minister Lotfi Dhieb and Secretary of State in charge of Communitarian Companies Riadh Choud.

Some local banks were ivvolved involved in the process of funding communitarian companies along with the BTS, such as La Banque de l'Habitat (BH) and La Société Tunisienne de Banque (STB).

Fifteen communitarian companies were financed in 2023 with a total of TDND 4 million. The maximum ceiling of BTS funding is of TND 300,000 provided that the repayment period does not exceed 7 years at an interest rate of 5% and a one-year grace period.

This area serves to train and support these entrepreneurs, run their funding operations and ensure follow-up on files. Fields of activity are mainly renewables, agriculture, waste upgrade and industry.

The key challenges facing communitaian enterprises are the hire of premises and other land issues.

The event offered the opportunity to take stock of works of a training session tailored to the needs of leaders of communitarian companies (15 entreprises) with a view to supporting and helping them prepare their business plans to obtain needed funding and have a better understanding of mechanisms and incentives.

Another workshop was organised for executives in charge of communitarian businesses in BTS agencies so as to help build up their capacities in supporting and financing these enterprises.