Tag Archives: Tunisia

Ethics, Innovation among Tunisia’s Entrepreneurial Ambitions

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For months, the world has followed the unrest and protest in North Africa stemming from unemployment throughout Tunisia and Egypt. America.gov asked several Tunisian entrepreneurs to share their stories of business development amid the strife in their region.

Mr. Nazeh Ben Ammar is President of the Tunisian American Chamber of Commerce and multimedia company, Excellencia. He recently spoke on entrepreneurial challenges in the Arab world with Jonathan Ortmans, President of the Public Forum Institute and senior fellow at the Kauffman Foundation. Read about their conversation on the Policy Forum Blog.

A man kissing the Tunisian flag

A man kisses the Tunisian flag during a demonstration in Tunis against high prices and unemployment.

Two major events took place in my mother country, Tunisia, while I was in the US. The first was in 1987, when I was completing my bachelor degree at Purdue University. The second was less than a month ago, and I was in California spending four days heading a delegation of major Tunisian entrepreneurs in the IT sector who were taking inspiration from the Silicon Valley spirit to help Tunisians back home.

I am quite accustomed to this environment as I spent nearly two years at Stanford University. My trip back to Silicon Valley was like a pilgrimage for me, 20 years after graduation. Having written my masters thesis on innovation and entrepreneurship, I felt I had returned to my roots. I have applied my studies during my career by focusing on bringing technology, innovative approaches and the entrepreneurship culture back to Tunisia.

For more than a year and a half now I have presided over the Tunisian American Chamber of Commerce (TACC). The chamber has a major role to play in today’s world in developing the entrepreneurial spirit, increasing investment from within Tunisia and the United States, and increasing trade between the two nations.

As a leader of an NGO, a trade company in electronics, an air conditioning company and a real estate company, I felt a lot of institutional pressure coming from a bureaucratic, police-like administration with the stick on our head coming either from customs or the Tunisian IRS. Our doctrine has been to remain ethical and environmentally friendly, which creates quite a challenge when surrounded by unethical practices.

I am proud to be part of the first revolution of the 21st century. The most challenging part is yet to come, and we Tunisians need to bring back our Phoenician, Carthaginian and Mediterranean character and strength of mind. The world is watching us.

The Tunisian American Chamber of Commerce will delegate in Washington, DC March 6-10, 2011.

Democracy Depends on Civil Society

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been putting greater emphasis on the critical importance of civil society to democracy.  What’s “civil society”?  Individuals like you and me.

Civil society, she said in a speech in July 2010 before a meeting of the Community of Democracies in Krakow, Poland, “undergirds both democratic governance and broad-based prosperity.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, “whether the goal is better laws or lower crime or cleaner air or social justice or consumer protection or entrepreneurship and innovation, societies move forward when the citizens that make up these groups are empowered to transform common interests into common actions that serve the common good.”

In too many places, however, governments constrain civil society by forbidding individuals to meet and work together.  This is a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 20, which upholds the right to peaceful assembly and association.

The United States, Clinton said, is committed to doing more to defend freedom of association, via diplomatic pressure, providing protection to activists where possible, amplifying the voices of activists by having U.S. government officials meet with them publicly at home and abroad and cite their work.

“We can also provide technical training that will help activists make use of new technologies such as social networks,” Clinton said. “When possible, we should also work together to provide deserving organizations with financial support for their efforts.”

What do you think are the best ways to protect civil society and freedom of association?

Tunisia’s Viral Spread of Compassion, Rebellion

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For months, the world has followed the unrest and protest in North Africa stemming from unemployment throughout Tunisia and Egypt. America.gov asked Bilel Bouraoui and several Tunisian entrepreneurs to share their stories of business development amid the strife in their region.

Portrait of Bilel Bouraoui with arms crossed

Bilel Bouraoui

My co-founders and I left the San Francisco Bay area for Tunisia two years ago to meet Tunisian venture capital funds managers and start an online social media business. We had no idea that we were going to witness one of the first social-media fueled revolutions.

We were aware of the Internet’s potential to change the region and the country where we were born, but we were far from grasping the extent to which the country’s tech-savvy, highly-educated youth would embrace it and integrate it into their lifestyle. It was obvious that a new generation of incredibly talented and creative young people had emerged. Yet, we had no clues to the plethora of skills they collectively showed.

It all started with Mohamed Bouazizi, a jobless young man from a remote town ending his own life after suffering an overwhelming injustice. As his story resounded so heavily in the hearts and minds of his region’s youth, they all stepped in to denounce a regime that seemingly no longer cares for its citizens.

That was the beginning of a month-long spiral during which the regime repressed its people, news and shocking videos spread over the Internet, and more people joined the revolution. Compassion and rebellion spread virally through social media networks. For weeks, young people across the country spent their days chanting in the streets and their nights exchanging information on the web until the whole nation was on the same wavelength. Pressure has mounted, people have died, and as more of them died, more became united and determined until the regime could no longer stand the pressure and collapsed.

Determination, compassion and creativity are the skills that helped the young people of my country achieve what once was considered impossible.

For an Internet entrepreneur, living the “Revolution 2.0” from the inside was a humbling experience. It is a promise for a better future, not only for Tunisia but for all nations with a young and well-connected population.

Turning Setbacks into Success and Sustainability

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For months, the world has followed the unrest and protest in North Africa stemming from unemployment throughout Tunisia and Egypt. America.gov asked several Tunisian entrepreneurs to share their stories of business development amid the strife in their region.

Headshot of Ziad Oueslati

Ziad Oueslati

Mr. Ziad Oueslati has studied at MINES ParisTech in France and at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in America. He is a Founding Partner and CEO of TunInvest-AfricInvest Group.

Upon completing engineering studies in France and the US, I decided to return to Tunisia to contribute to its development and that of Africa. After a few years with an international bank, I created with two partners the first private equity boutique in North Africa. We shared the same drive to help indigenous entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises to emerge, grow and excel. In time, we managed to expand our activities to a wide number of countries across the African continent, offering financing, coaching and strategic guidance to nearly 100 entrepreneurs and SMEs.

We learned during that period that the main ingredients for building successful and sustainable businesses in Africa – particularly in Tunisia – are transparency, ethics, interest alignment, market viability and strategic vision. We endeavored to reinforce management with the right people, properly incentivize them, seek larger markets through export strategies, promote social and environmental responsibility, and enhance corporate governance at all levels. This also meant avoiding partnering with politically exposed persons, no matter how enticing the opportunity or intense the pressure. That was particularly difficult in Tunisia over the last 10 years, given the rampant corruption of the family of the ex-Tunisian dictator.

This course has spared us from major setbacks after the regime change. Although we foresee difficulties in the short term, we are confident that the cleaner economic environment will restore investors’ confidence and boost private investment and entrepreneurship.

Tunisian entrepreneurs should invest in people and training and seek smart foreign partnerships that bring true added value and technology transfer. To be sustainable over the long term, they should also dare to go outside their borders to neighboring markets and beyond.

Competition, Expansion in Tunisia’s Future

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For months, the world has followed the unrest and protest in North Africa stemming from unemployment throughout Tunisia and Egypt. America.gov asked several Tunisian entrepreneurs to share their stories of business development amid the chaos in their region.

 

Ali Belakhoua stands among tech equipment

Ali Belakhoua

Ali Belakhoua is the Managing Director of STARZ Electronics. He is a Tunisian-American Electrical Engineer with a degree from the University of MO Rolla and was born in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information about Ali’s company, visit www.starzelectronics.com.

The future is in Tunisia. When my family returned to Tunisia in 2002, we realized that it was the perfect place for starting a small company. We founded STARZ Electronics, an electronic and cable assembly manufacturer, in Bizerte with only six employees. Now we count more than 80 permanent and temporary workers, and we are continuously re-investing in equipment to expand our capabilities.

Tunisia has an abundant supply of educated youth with a high work ethic. We have used this asset to grow our business and be very competitive. I would encourage young graduates to attain a well-rounded education with technical training and a focus on language skills. The government also provides a great deal of help for youth recruitment and training.

Our proximity to Europe makes Tunisia ideal for serving the entire European market and North America. Surface transportation is rapid and inexpensive between Tunisia and Europe, so we provide our customers a perfect alternative to subcontracting work in Eastern Europe. Our labor costs are almost as competitive as those in China. English and French language skills are also keys to our success.

The challenge is to continue to expand. We need to spread the word about Tunisia’s potential and highlight the countless success stories of businesses that have found the perfect operating environment here.  For companies moving operations from Europe or the U.S., Tunisia is an ideal alternative to China. 

I Work, Therefore I Exist

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For months, the world has followed the unrest and protest in North Africa stemming from unemployment throughout Tunisia and Egypt. America.gov asked several Tunisian entrepreneurs to share their stories of business development amid the chaos in their region. 

Headshot of Chema Gargouri

Chema Gargouri

Chema Gargouri is the manager and major shareholder of the Centre for Applied Training, a private company focused on business development. Six years ago, Gargouri founded the Tunisian American Association for Management Studies, a community development and micro lending NGO located in a very poor area of Tunisia’s capital.

For individuals facing exclusion and unequal chances, entrepreneurship is not only an economic answer for unemployment, it builds self-esteem and human dignity. The failure of our society to make men and women feel like full citizens can only lead to frustration, humiliation and despair.  Mohamed Bouazizi’s act of desperation is a tragic example of what can happen when opportunities for young men and women seem non-existent.

Youth are entrepreneurial by nature, but efforts to encourage and support these tendencies were stymied in the past. Today, we must do more to enhance that entrepreneurial spirit and attitude. This is not a choice, but a duty. As a Tunisian woman and an entrepreneur, I recognize that the only difference between me and a micro entrepreneur in a poor community is opportunity. I am no more intelligent or competent than a Mohamed Bouazizi. I am just luckier.

The old regime did not support an independent civil society, including development NGOs.  But in 2006, our NGO, the Tunisian American Association for Management Studies (TAAMS), started working in Borj Louzir, a poor and sensitive area of Tunis. With the support of a handful of international organizations that believed in our mission, TAAMS succeeded in reaching more than 400 families, 1000 individuals and 350 micro entrepreneurs.   

TAAMS’s relationship with our entrepreneurs is built on micro lending coupled with a package of services to their families. Our micro-credit programs offer households the chance to secure an ongoing income, while our youth programs help the children of these entrepreneurs improve their results at school. Thus, the story that I can share is best summed up by the testimony of one 9-year-old boy: “Thank you, TAAMS, for saving me and my family.” I will never forget his face and what a gift he gave me personally.

Obama Condemns Moscow Attack / The Transition in Tunisia / A Landmark Turns Green

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President Obama strongly condemns the deadly terror attack in Moscow. The U.S. supports a peaceful transition in Tunisia and Tunisian Americans are keeping a close eye on developments in their homeland. The State of the Union address is more than just a speech. Learn which New York City landmark has gone green.

Obama Condemns “Outrageous” Moscow Attack
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President Obama strongly condemns the bombing of Moscow’s busiest airport, calling the deadly attack an “outrageous act of terrorism against the Russian people….I want to express the solidarity of the American people with the Russian people in the aftermath of this premeditated attack against innocent civilians,” Obama says in a statement.

U.S. Backs Peaceful Tunisia Transition
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The Obama administration supports Tunisia’s democratic transition following the ouster of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley says.

Tunisian Americans Upbeat
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Many of the estimated 14,000 Tunisian Americans are celebrating the fall of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and say they are doing what they can to bolster the emerging democracy in their homeland. Tunisian Americans are watching events unfold in their native country with memories of a painful past tempered by a hopeful vision of its future.

A Speech Rich in History
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When President Obama addresses leaders of the U.S. federal government on January 25 he will be fulfilling a constitutional obligation and following a long-standing tradition of American presidents.

A Green Empire State Building
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New York’s Empire State Building, which has 102 floors to heat and cool, is one of America’s biggest “green building” success stories. After a two-year, $20-million building retrofit that cut the building’s energy consumption by 38 percent, property managers recently signed a contract to purchase all electricity for the building from a company that offers only renewable energy.

Chinese President Visits U.S. / More Applause for Sudan / A U.S.-Pakistan Exchange

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President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China are set to enter into wide-ranging talks this week. President Obama calls the peaceful voting in Sudan an “inspiration to the world.” The State Department has hopes for the new leadership in Tunisia. Applications are still being accepted for the TechWomen mentorship program. And learn about a U.S.-Pakistani cultural exchange.

President Obama and Chinese President Hu JintaoHu and Obama to Meet in State Visit
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President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China will discuss global and regional security concerns, economic and trade issues, human rights and related bilateral issues during a one-day state visit January 19 at the White House. This will be the eighth face-to-face meeting between Obama and Hu, a demonstration of the importance of the U.S.-China relationship, he added. At right, Obama, left, and Hu at a meeting in November. 

“Inspiring” Conduct in Sudan
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President Obama praises the peaceful and orderly conduct of southern Sudan’s referendum on self-determination and commends the voters. “The sight of so many Sudanese casting their votes in a peaceful and orderly fashion was an inspiration to the world and a tribute to the determination of the people and leaders of south Sudan to forge a better future,” says Obama.

Tunisia’s Interim Leadership
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The State Department says it hopes Tunisia’s interim leadership will chart a new, more democratic course in the wake of former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s departure after more than 20 years. “There is change under way” in Tunisia that needs to broaden and deepen, says State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley.

TechWomen
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Bringing the power of global business, technology and education together, the TechWomen Program will pair women in Silicon Valley with 38 of their counterparts in the Middle East and North Africa for a five-week professional mentorship program at leading technology companies beginning in the summer of 2011. Online applications must be submitted by February 1st. For more information, visit the TechWomen Fact Sheet.

A U.S.-Pakistan Exchange
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As part of the State Department’s Global Undergraduate Exchange Program-Pakistan, college students from Pakistan spend a semester at college campuses throughout the United States. In addition to taking coursework, the Pakistani exchange students complete a course in U.S. studies and participate in community service and cultural activities. Afza Asif, right, visited a school to teach American children about Pakistan.

Gates in Japan / Clinton in the Middle East / Martin Luther King Jr.

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In Japan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates calls for stability on the Korean Peninsula. At the Forum for the Future in Qatar, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks about the Middle East in the 21st century. Vice President Biden holds talks in Pakistan. The Obama admistration says that the level of violence in Tunisia is “unacceptable” and calls upon the Tunisian government for swift action. Muslim Americans continue to contribute to the relief effort in Haiti. A group of Russian environmental officials traveled to New York to examine how the U.S. handles toxic waste. And finally, in honor of Martin Luther King Day this coming Monday, view a photo gallery about Dr. King’s life and work.

A Plea for Stability on the Korean Peninsula
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Peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is in the common interest of China, Japan, South Korea and the United States, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says. “This requires that North (Korea) cease its belligerent behavior and its provocation,” Gates says during a press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Tosihimi Kitazawa, left, in Tokyo.


Clinton on Middle East Reform
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The people and leaders of the Middle East must work together to build a stronger foundation for their region, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told leaders at the Forum for the Future in Doha, Qatar. Clinton says the people of the Middle East “are looking for real leadership in the 21st century, and I think it can be provided, and I know that this is the moment to do so.”

Biden and Pakistani Prime Minister Hold Talks
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Vice President Biden and Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani have held “extremely useful” discussions in Islamabad on “combating terror, issues of regional stability and promoting reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.”

Violence in Tunisia
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The Obama administration says there remains “an unacceptable level of violence” in Tunisia and calls upon the Tunisian government to “aggressively” respond to popular calls for economic reform and greater political openness.

Muslims Helping in Haiti
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Islamic Relief USA and the Zakat Foundation of America continue to help victims with food, shelter and medicine one year after an earthquake devastated Haiti.

Sharing Toxic Waste Strategies
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The U.S. government recently invited a delegation of 16 Russian environmental protection officials to Washington and New York to examine how the United States deals with abandoned industrial sites contaminated with hazardous wastes.

King with President Lyndon Johnson as he signs the Civil Rights ActPhoto Gallery: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for racial equality in the United States. January 17, 2011, marks the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday that honors King’s legacy and challenges citizens to engage in volunteer service in their communities. Visit this photo gallery to learn more about Dr. King’s Life and work. At right, King attends the 1964 signing of the Civil Rights Act into federal law by President Lyndon Johnson.

2010 U.S. Census Results / A New Climate Law / Literary New York

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The first results of the 2010 U.S. census are in; learn about the findings. In California, comprehensive climate legislation will go into effect in January. A new report says that Afghan businesses have great growth potential. At a business conference in Algeria, Tunisian and Moroccan entrepreneurs enjoy networking opportunities. And finally, explore literary New York.

First Results of 2010 U.S. Census
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The first results from the 2010 U.S. census reflect a modest overall population growth over the past 10 years, with continued population shifts towards Southern and Western states. The newest data will cause changes in the location of U.S. congressional districts. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, right, says the data will also be used to determine how federal resources are allocated and will help businesses identify new markets.

New California Climate Law
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With national climate legislation stalled in Congress, environmental advocates are focusing on action-oriented states like California, where the most comprehensive climate legislation in the United States will go into effect in January.

A Boost for Afghan Business
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A new report says that the private sector in Afghanistan has great potential for growth under improved business conditions, citing food production, mining, light manufacturing and services as particularly promising sectors.

Tunisian Entrepreneurs Meet
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Twenty-two Tunisian entrepreneurs attended the U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference in Algiers, which was organized by the State Department in partnership with the U.S.-Algeria Business Council. The conference featured panels and networking opportunities for up and coming North African business leaders.

Moroccan Youth Network
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After attending the U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference, young Moroccan entrepreneurs learned fear has no place when it comes to starting a business. Student Hamza El Fisiki says promoting entrepreneurship among Morocco’s youth is an important component to attracting overseas business.

Literary New York
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New York’s book culture sustains great writers and their work. Read about literary culture in the city and hear from authors Tom Wolfe, Pete Hamill and Emily Barton. Founded in 1927, the Strand Book Store, right, located on the corner of Broadway and East 12th Street, occupies five floors and contains 18 miles of books. The New York Public Library, on 5th Avenue at 42nd Street, is an integral part of the intellectual fabric of American life with more than 1 million books.