Tunis — The Tunisian Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs (CNFCE) organized on Wednesday in Hammamet the Mediterranean Forum of Women Entrepreneurs under the theme, "Globalization of trade: what place does the Mediterranean woman occupy".

The event is organized in cooperation with the "INVEST in MED" program and the Women Entrepreneurs Committee under the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry Association (ASCAME).

Women entrepreneurs from the 5 Maghrebi countries from Europe, as well as experts and university professors, took part in the event.

The forum dealt with two major objectives namely the consolidation of trade relations between women heads of Mediterranean enterprises and facilitating access to external markets.

Several issues were also discussed during the event including the "Mediterranean integration and its impact on distribution channels", "The opportunities offered by the distribution channels", "e-commerce and franchise contracts" as well as "modernization and financing of distribution channels ".

At the opening session of the Forum, Mr. Ridha Ben Mosbah, Minister of Trade and Handicrafts stressed the importance of the role played by women entrepreneurs in the consolidation of cooperation and regional economic integration.

On the sidelines of the event, he also inaugurated the space El Medina, "the exhibition of women entrepreneurs' which will run until April 3, comprising members of regional chambers of women entrepreneurs in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, during which several B to B meetings were organized.

At the closing of the event, Ms. Lamia Chaffai Sghaier, Secretary of State in charge of Computer, Internet and free software, reiterated the important role of women entrepreneurs in developing Mediterranean cooperation and promoting investment in innovative activities.

She also stressed the need to develop e-commerce to promote its contribution to socio-economic development.

Mrs. Sghaier also referred to Tunisia's international ratings in the development of new information and communication technologies (ICTs)noting that they "illustrate the correctness Tunisia's approach in this sector".