(Ecofin Agency) - Tunisian Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation, Yassine Brahim, during the recent plenary session that took place at the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (ARP) cleared all ambiguities related to provisions of the new investment code. The main focus was the article 5 of the new legislation.

“The government has no intention to allow foreign investors to own Tunisian agricultural lands,” the minister said to calm concerned parliamentarians. He estimated that the controversial article is “not clear and was not well understood” and thus offered to amend it in agreement with ARP’s members.

Regarding the article under the spotlight, it allows foreign investors to own shares in Tunisian firms that exploit agricultural lands across the country. Parliamentarians fear the provision might facilitate land grabbing in the framework of negotiations related to deep and free-trade agreement with the European Union.

Souha Touré