Magharebia

French and Tunisian officials signed $113m in trade agreements Wednesday (3 May) during a visit by Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi and a delegation of three other government members and businessmen to Paris. The agreements cover projects in the industrial and energy field, a credit for the extension and modernisation of the subway in Tunis and financing of a pilot project for improving Tunisian hotels. The visit aimed at consolidating friendship between the two nations and seeking investments in high-speed Internet lines, road construction, a deep-water port and a power plant.

Ghannouchi is meeting with President Jacques Chirac, as well as Finance Minister Thierry Breton and Laurence Parisot, the head of France's main employers' group. (AP, Le Temps)