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U.S. To Create New Jobs for Tunisians

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today underscored that the United States will work for the creation of jobs for the Tunisian people. The United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation will offer financial support in the form of direct loans, guarantees, and political risk insurance for the Tunisians.

Secretary Clinton: The Tunisian people have made history once again. You have shown the world that peaceful change is possible. The United States stood with Tunisia during your independence, and now we will stand with you as you make the transition to democracy and prosperity and a better future.

The foreign minister and I have had a very productive meeting and discussed many of the plans that are being undertaken on behalf of Tunisia's future. The first step will be the election in July for the constituent assembly to draft a new constitution. We know that there will be much work that has to be done for both political and economic reform, and we discussed today a number of ways that the United States will help.

We will support a new partnership between Tunisian civil society groups and technology companies in order to get more information, communications capacity available broadly throughout society. Microsoft Corporation has agreed to support groups that are advocating for human rights, democracy, civic education, and other important matters to society, providing computers, software, and training and other technical assistance.

We will also work to create new jobs for Tunisians. The United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation, known as OPIC, will offer financial support in the form of direct loans, guarantees, and political risk insurance. OPIC is already supporting two Tunisian private equity firms that are focused on small and medium-size businesses and will support investor visits by American businesses to Tunisia.

The Administration is asking our Congress to establish a Tunisian-American enterprise fund to stimulate investment in the private sector and provide businesses with low-cost capital. We particularly want to assist the less-developed areas of Tunisia. We will also work through the United States-North Africa Partnership For Economic Opportunity to link business leaders and young entrepreneurs. We want the ideas of young Tunisians and we want to provide the startup capital that they would need to begin their own businesses.

We explored many other ideas for economic assistance that can be provided through other government agencies like USAID. Tunisia is now eligible to be considered for a Millennium Challenge Account grant. And we look forward to receiving the proposals from the government as they are formulated.

We discussed many aspects of the political transition, including free and fair elections, the formation of political parties, the training of candidates, and so much more.

Source: U.S. Department of State