Year: 2018

Tunisian government expects to collect TND2 billion ($ 785 million) from olive oil export for the 2017-18 season, Samir Taieb (photo) the agriculture minister announced last May 24. This forecast is owing to good prospects for both production system and export segment. Indeed, while the country’s output is set to reach 280,000 tons by the end of the season next October, exports will hit 200,000 tons. Let’s note that between last November 1 and April 30, oilseed shipments generated TND1.36 billion, slightly less than three times the revenues collected the…

Tunisia’s news startup act — passed earlier last month — could propel the north African country to become the region’s next entrepreneurial hotspot. Here’s why. The act (the Tunisia Startup Act) includes 20 measures that aim to encourage entrepreneurship, make it easier to start and end a business, as well as easier to access funding and international markets. The act is structured around five main theme areas. These themes are: defining startups; encouraging entrepreneurship; creation of an environment that allows for the formation and liquidation of companies; access to funding; and access to international markets.…

In its study entitled “Financial Development and Inclusion in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia”, the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Economic Studies (EMNES) analyses a financial system that is frequently under-developed and fails to provide sufficient lending to SMEs and households. “Financial institutions and markets need to be well developed in order to contribute to sustainable and inclusive economic growth”. In its latest study, the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Economic Studies (EMNES) takes an in-depth look at financial systems and their involvement in sustainable economic growth in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. “The financial…

Fitch Ratings, on Sunday, said it has revised the Outlook on Tunisia’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to negative from stable and affirmed the IDR at ‘B+’. Fitch ratings said “Tunisia’s rating is weighed down by high and growing public and external debt, reflecting wide twin deficits, subdued economic growth and sluggish reform momentum against a background of social and political tensions.” The revision of the Outlook to Negative reflects increased pressures on external finances and the high uncertainty surrounding the government’s capacity to advance the required policies to…

The Central Bank of Tunisia  said on Monday that it is time to issue bonds worth $1 billion to finance the budget and balance of payments deficits. The bond issue had been previously announced and was originally expected in March. The Board considered that the economic situation requires this exit on the international market, to meet funding requirements especially with the pressures on the foreign exchange reserves on the one hand and on the liquidity in the domestic financial market, on the other hand”. In a statement issued by the…

Tunisian date revenues reached 235 million U.S. dollars in the current date season from October 2017 to May 24, 2018, up 31 % compared to the same period of last season. Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said on Friday that Tunisian dates have been exported to 80 countries. Tunisia has exported about 101,000 tons of dates this season, against 88,000 tons of last season. Major countries that imported dates from Tunisia include the United States with an increase of 97 percent, Spain up 56 percent, Morocco up 27 percent,…