TUNIS, Tunisia - April 9, 2009 - Cisco today reconfirmed its commitment to supporting economic development in Tunisia by opening an office in the capital city, Tunis. North Africa is a key area of growth and focus for the company and the opening of the Tunis office comes at a time when the country is increasingly harnessing the power of information and communications technologies (ICT) to drive growth and development in Tunisia.

Officiating at the formal office opening ceremony were senior Cisco executives from the region including Yvon Le Roux, Cisco's vice president for Africa Levant, Anthony Vonsee, general manager for Cisco's North Africa Levant region and Adel Dahmani, general manager for Cisco in Tunisia. Guest of honour at the ceremony was Tunisia's minister for ICT Mr. Haj Klai.

"We've seen the Tunisian economy become more diverse over the past few years with significant achievements in improving education, health, welfare for the poor and the promotion of women's rights. This diversity and growth is due in a large part to the long-term vision of Tunisian leadership and the efforts of public and private sector," said Yvon Le Roux. "We're excited about the potential of Tunisia - a key priority for the Cisco in the region - and look forward to continuing to work with businesses and government throughout North Africa to develop ICT strategies that enhance productivity and promote social inclusion so communities can enjoy a better quality of life."

The opening of the Tunis office will bring Cisco physically closer to its customers, enabling the company to provide not only technology, but strategic advice on developing appropriate ICT strategies to increase productivity growth and accelerate social inclusion.

The Tunis office will serve as the cornerstone for the region focusing on four key areas:

• Supporting local employment initiatives through local partnerships.
• Developing an educated local pool of talent that can build and manage sustained networks in the future.
• Promoting and improving digital inclusion through technology solutions and expertise.
• Brokering funding for ICT projects thereby facilitating more investment and financing opportunities for businesses.

"Tunisia has all the right ingredients to create a sustainable and successful ICT industry locally which makes the country an important area of growth for Cisco and an important competitor in the global marketplace," commented Adel Dahmani, general manager, for Cisco in Tunisia. "We see a great opportunity to support the country in realizing its vision by providing advanced technology solutions and services and the proven expertise in market segments such as the telecoms industry and the public sector."