About Us
Towards a competitive and integrated Maghreb economy
The Maghreb Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade (BMICE) is Maghreb bank created with the aim of strengthening the integration of the five countries of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).
Since the holding of its constitutive General Assembly on December 21, 2015 in Tunis, where the head office is situated, the Management of the bank has been engaged in the definition of the bank’s strategy supported by a five-year business plan, together with the establishment of its organizational and operational structures: human resources, equipment, information system and procedures.
Therefore, BMICE has become ready to undertake financing and resource mobilization operations.
Legal Framework
A new dimension for economic integration in the Maghreb
BMICE aims to encourage and finance commercial, economic and financial exchanges between the member countries of the Arab Maghreb Union.
The Maghreb Bank also derives the legitimacy of its existence from the need to address the economic and social challenges common to all Maghreb countries. These challenges are manifested in particular through high unemployment rates, lack of growth and disparities between Maghreb countries in terms of growth and attractiveness of foreign direct investment.
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BMICE in Brief
Despite considerable potential for trade and investment, several studies, including those by the World Bank, have shown that trade between the countries of the Arab Maghreb Union represents only 3.5% of their trade, making this region of the world the least economically integrated.
It is estimated that the cost of the “non-Maghreb” translates for each country in the region into a loss of economic growth of 1.5% to 2% on average, leading to a loss of 200,000 to 300,000 additional jobs per year in the region.
In this context, the Maghreb Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade (BMICE) aims to encourage and finance trade, economic and financial exchanges between the member countries of the Arab Maghreb Union.
The legitimacy of the creation of BMICE also lies in the economic and social challenges common to all Maghreb countries, particularly illustrated by high unemployment, insufficient growth and a disparity between its members in the attractiveness of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
To this end, BMICE, which has adopted a clear vision supported by a five-year business plan, aims to become the foundation of Maghreb integration and the catalyst for building a more competitive and integrated economy in the region.
BMICE therefore constitutes a strong message for the impetus of a new dynamic of Maghreb economic cooperation focused on projects of common interest and granting a leading role to the private sector.
Financial integration and promote trade and investment within the region. The Bank has prepared a 5 years development plan for this purpose. Below are the strategic pillars:
- BMICE funds will target projects of common interest in terms of faster and more sustainable economic growth, modernized economies, and higher trust in the region by foreign investors. These projects shall meet the needs of Maghreb markets and generate expertise sharing
- Intra-regional exchange through the development of intra-Maghreb trade, enabling a substitution effect that would satisfy the region’s needs
- Expanding exports of Maghreb products by expanding foreign trade and encouraging exporting companies to access new international markets
- Enabling a free capital flows within the Maghreb by putting in place solutions to the regulatory and institutional barriers
- Attract foreign direct investment “IDE” to the Maghreb
- Providing support and advice for project identification, study and design
BMICE will support productive projects both in the public and private sectors that have an impact on the economic and social development of the member countries.
A project is considered of common interest if:
- Its capital is owned at least by 2 parties of the member countries
- Produced to meet the needs of the Maghreb markets
- Uses raw materials or technologies whose origin is from another maghreb country
The Bank provides financing according to economic, financial, and sectoral eligibility criteria.
Submitted projects are evaluated based on their economic viability, development impact, financial soundness, and alignment with the Bank’s strategic priorities.
Yes, the Bank has a representative office in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
However, all financing, partnership, or information requests can be submitted directly through our official website or via our headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia.
The Bank’s products and services are detailed in the “Products and Services” section of this website.
They include short-, medium-, and long-term financing, credit lines, and guarantees.
The Bank supports projects with a strong economic impact that promote Maghreb integration. This may involve financing inter-Maghreb trade operations or supporting capital flows between Maghreb countries through joint investments.
Additionally, the Bank supports strategic national projects, contributing to the economic development of each country in the region.
Financing is mainly available to public institutions, private companies, and financial institutions, provided they meet the Bank’s eligibility criteria.
Requests can be submitted via the dedicated form on the Bank’s website.
A specialized team will review and follow up on all submitted applications.