Day: July 19, 2023

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Saied points out State’s role in eradicating poverty and protecting people with disabilities

The activities of the Social Affairs Ministry in general and its role in protecting low-income earners in particular took centre stage at a meeting held on Tuesday between President of the Republic Kais Saied and Social Affairs Minister Malek Ezzahi. Saied reaffirmed that the State cannot renounce its social role and that the eradication of poverty requires national efforts and new legislation to meet the aspirations of the people, reads a Presidency of the Republic press release on Tuesday evening. The meeting provided the opportunity to discuss the situation of people with disabilities and to stress the importance of involving them in the drafting of legislation to improve their conditions. The President of the Republic pointed out that article 54 of the Constitution stipulates that the State shall protect people with disabilities against all forms of discrimination and shall take all measures to ensure that they are fully integrated into society. He also referred to decree law no. 2023-10 of March 8, 2023, regulating local council elections and the composition of regional and district councils, which provides in article 27 for the allocation of an additional seat in each local council to a deputy with a disability who is entitled to vote, so that he or she can take part in decision-making. The meeting also addressed the subject of community companies and the need to iron out any obstacles to their creation, so that they can be a source of wealth creation, notably for unemployed young people. To date, 31 community companies have been set up, with a further 36 in the process of being created.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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First shipment of resin exported to Cameroon under AfCFTA

Tunisia on July 17 exported its first shipment of resin to Cameroon under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), announced the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX). Customs clearance of the shipment, which includes 60 tonnes of resin worth pound 90,000 (around TND 204,000), was carried out by the Cameroonian institution of the “Port Autonome de Kribi” (PAK). This operation marks a decisive step towards closer economic cooperation within the AfCFTA, added CEPEX in a press release issued on Tuesday. “It will offer opportunities for fruitful exchanges between the participating countries and pave the way for a promising future for Africa’s economic integration.” Tunisia’s Ambassador to Yaoundé Karim Ben Bécher underlined the importance of this first operation between Tunisia and Cameroon, which remains Tunisia’s leading partner in Central Africa and its 4th largest client in sub-Saharan Africa. “This operation will be the cornerstone for the launch of a new era of pan-African trade,” he said. Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, Luc-Magloire Mbarga Atangana reiterated for his part, the need to step up product export operations to ensure the effective inclusion of African countries in the AfCFTA. He pointed to the need to develop the services associated with this trade, to help Africa produce what it consumes and consume what it produces. The Ministry of Trade and Export Development announced on May 17, 2023 that two Tunisian export companies operating in the chemicals and food industries had been awarded the first certificates of origin under the AfCFTA agreement to export to Cameroon. The certificate of origin, which is considered a key element in the effective entry into force of the agreement, will allow companies to benefit from the reductions in customs duties that are due to be abolished within two years. Tunisia, Cameroon and six other member states (Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Mauritius) joined the AfCFTA, which aims to facilitate trade through a selection of companies and products for export and import between member states. The AfCFTA agreement came into force in May 2019. It was ratified by Tunisia on August 7, 2020. It is one of the African Union’s (AU) flagship projects that seeks to boost South-South cooperation for an “integrated, prosperous and peaceful” Africa, in line with the AU’s Agenda 2063, and to cement trade relations between the union’s 55 member states, in a market totalling over 300 million consumers and $3,400 billion in annual trade. The agreement aims to remove customs barriers to the free movement of goods and services between African countries.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Tunisair revenues up 24% in 2nd quarter of 2023

Revenues of the national carrier “Tunisair” increased by 24% during the 2nd quarter of 2023 compared to the same period of 2022, according to the company’s activity indicators for the 2nd quarter of 2023, published on the website of the Tunis Stock Exchange. According to the same source, the number of passengers carried rose to 1,150,453 in the first half of 2023, compared with 939,860 in the same period of 2022. Transport revenues (scheduled activity, charter activity and freight and mail activity) amounted to 658 million dinars (MD) during the first half of the current year, compared with 521 MD during the same period last year. The company also reported that the second quarter of 2023 was characterised by the introduction into operation of two new A320 aircraft, which contributed to a 31% improvement in capacity in terms of available seat kilometres (ASK). In response to this improvement in supply, demand in terms of Passenger Kilometres Carried has increased in the same proportions. As a result, the load factor has remained stable at 74% between the first half of 2022 and the first half of 2023. Market share also remained unchanged at 30%. The company also reported a change in its costs during the second quarter of 2023. Fuel costs fell by 17% as a result of the price effect (average decline of 30.9% in the price per barrel). On the other hand, expenditure on airport charges and commercial assistance rose by 22% and 16% respectively. Tunisair also reported an increase in expenses relating to aircraft rental and insurance following the acquisition of two aircraft and an increase in the settlement of financial charges following the restructuring of its debt (clearance of unpaid debts) and as a result of the rise in interest rates. A fleet of 29 aircraft entered service during the first half of 2023, an increase of two aircraft compared with the same period in 2022. 18 aircraft are owned by Tunisair and the others are operated under leasing agreements. The company has a workforce of 3155 employees in the first half of 2023 compared with 3215 in the same period of 2022, with personnel costs estimated at 96.379 MD.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Tunisia/AfDB sign $87.1 million loan agreement to develop grain sector

A loan agreement worth a total of $87.1 million (the equivalent of TND 267.56 million) to finance the Inclusive and Sustainable Development Support Programme for the Grain Sector (PADIFIC) was signed on Wednesday in Tunis by Economy and Planning Minister Samir Saied and African Development Bank (AfDB) Deputy Director General for North Africa Region Malinne Blomberg. At the signing ceremony, the minister announced that this AfDB loan, which will be repaid over 24 years, with a grace period of 4,5 years, will be used to increase the country’s strategic grain storage capacity from two to three months’ requirements, through the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Rades and Bizerte port silos, the creation of a new silo at Djebel Djeloud and the relaunch of grain transport by rail. The goal is to contribute to guaranteeing in the short term, with the help of other development partners including the World Bank (WB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), an uninterrupted supply of common wheat and barley to the the domestic market. He further pointed out that the PADIFIC project is “particularly important” in terms of inclusive and sustainable investment, targeting both upstream and downstream parts of the cereals chain. In addition to traditional measures aimed at improving grain production and productivity, such as agricultural advice and training for farmers managed by the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS), PADIFIC will also support young people in the development of five start-ups to exploit the by-products of grain growing. Saied added that this agreement is part of a strategy to consolidate the results of the Emergency Food Security Support Project in Tunisia (PAUSAT), aimed at boosting the resilience of the grain sector against external shocks and climate change, while at the same time securing grain supplies in an exceptional context characterised by a global food crisis caused mainly by the war in Ukraine and persistent drought. This drought, he said, has reduced the harvest to 250,000 tonnes of grain, compared with the national annual requirement of 3.4 million tonnes. Blomberg for her part, stated that the expected results of this project will find expression in additional production estimated at 1.6 million quintals of durum wheat and 1.2 million quintals of barley, as well as a reduction in losses associated with post-harvest storage, which will generate gains estimated at 115,000 quintals of grain. The PADIFIC will therefore have a real impact on the food security of vulnerable populations whose diet is based essentially on grain-based products, as well as on the players in the processing chain (flour mills, bakeries, pastry shops, etc.). It will also have a beneficial impact on livestock feed and animal production, she added, pointing out that the project will help Tunisia, which imports 95% of its grain needs, cope with the impact of the global crisis on grain prices and droughts.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Angola sees import substitution a business opportunity

Angolan head of State João Lourenço described the substitution of imports as “a great business opportunity” that Angola offers to private investors, as part of the ongoing process of economic diversification in the country.

In his Facebook page, the Angolan statesman states that the country’s geographic position should continue to be explored as a major gateway to the entire Southern and Central African region.

The Head of State underlined the fact that Angola is a market with available younger work force, an expanding electricity grid, fertile land and abundant water.

The Angolan Government approved, through Presidential Decree No. 169/18 of 20 July, the Programme for Support Production, Diversify Exports and Substitute Imports (PRODESI), aimed to speed up the diversification process of the national economy.

In order to achieve this goal, the programme focuses on promoting production and exports in the non-oil sectors, as well as in sectors with a strong potential for replacing imports.

PRODESI’s priority sectors are food and agro-industry, mineral resources, oil and natural gas, forestry, textiles, clothing and footwear, construction and Public Works, Information Technologies and Telecommunications, Health, Education, Training and Scientific Research, Tourism and Leisure.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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CAF Women’s Champions League Zone 1 qualifiers: AS Féminine de Sousse represent Tunisia

Tunisia’s AS Féminine de Sousse will take part in the CAF Women’s Champions League UNAF Zone 1 qualifiers, scheduled for August 12-30 in Oran, Algeria, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Sporting Club Casablanca of Morocco, Wadi Delga of Egypt as well as AS Feminine of Tunisia will battle it out while AS Far, who are the reigning champions will receive direct qualification.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Forum on Arab education policies to be held in Hammamet from July 19 to 21

Work on the forum on Arab education policies began today in Hammamet and will continue until July 21, with the participation of education ministers from several Arab countries and representatives of civil society. Education Minister Mohamed Ali Boughdiri said that the issue of financing the education sector in the Arab world was extremely important given the efforts being made to achieve development. In this connection, he stressed the importance of coordination between Arab countries and with representatives of civil society to implement comprehensive reforms. This forum represents, he said, an opportunity to bring together the points of view of the various stakeholders in the Arab world, at the level of the ministers of education, to unify the methodologies of education in the future and thus meet the challenges that lie ahead. Boughdiri believes that to increase their financial resources, Arab countries should first and foremost make use of their resources and mobilise substantial budgets for the education and teaching sector. Tunisia is moving towards the goal of attractive schools by taking care of the basic infrastructure, making high-speed internet widely available, implementing the programme to digitise education while revising the assessment system, which has been described as mediocre, and attaching greater importance to school transport and school meals to combat the drop-out rate, estimated at over 100,000 pupils a year, Boughdiri stressed in particular. Kamel Missaoui, President of the Tunisian Education Coalition, stressed the need to draw up recommendations at the end of the forum, to transform them into draft legislation and measures to facilitate the development of funding for the education sector. For his part, President of the Arab Institute for Human Rights, Abdelbasset Ben Hassen, highlighted the need for Arab countries to put in place new education policies based on investment in education and teaching. The aim, he noted, was to find solutions to several issues, including employability and climate change, and to achieve the objective of strengthening public education for the benefit of all parties.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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IsDB ready to fund new projects according to Tunisian government’s “priorities”

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is ready to review the funding of new cooperation projects according to the Tunisian government’s “priorities”, said IsDB Chairman Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, following his meeting, on Wednesday, in Jeddah, with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Nabil Ammar Visiting Saudi Arabia, the third and final stage of his tour to Gulf countries, Ammar had talks with Al Jasser about various projects funded by the Bank in Tunisia as well as the progress of their implementation, the Foreign Affairs Ministry added. The two parties also discussed ways to hasten the funding of ongoing projects and support Tunisia’s position with international institutions and funding bodies. Ammar laid emphasis on cooperation with the IsDB, commending its role in supporting Tunisia’s development efforts through the financing of a large number of projects in various economic and social sectors. The meeting also focused on a number of challenges Tunisia is facing, particularly irregular migration, human trafficking and food security. The Minister underlined the capacity of the Tunisian economy to attract new projects thanks to the reforms undertaken by the government in the light of the corrective process initiated since July 25, 2021.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Interior Minister discusses bilateral cooperation to combat illegal immigration with his Italian counterpart

Meeting his Italian counterpart, Matteo Piantedosi, in Rome on Wednesday, Interior Minister Kamel Feki emphasised the strength of Tunisian-Italian relations, particularly in the light of the many visits made by the Italian Prime Minister to Tunisia, and her active contribution to the signing of the memorandum of understanding and comprehensive strategic partnership between Tunisia and the European Union. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the areas of intervention of the Ministries of the Interior of the two countries, in particular the joint efforts made in the fight against irregular migration, in order to reduce its negative repercussions on both countries, according to a press release from the Department of the Interior. In addition, the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to increasing their efforts to eradicate the phenomenon of illegal migration from which Tunisia suffers and to put an end to attempts to reach the Italian coast, welcoming the results of the operations carried out by the Tunisian security units and the joint work teams.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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Hegira New Year: Head of State exchanges greetings with his Algerian and Egyptian counterparts

President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, spoke on Wednesday by telephone with his Algerian counterpart, Abelmadjid Tebboune, and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. President Kaïs Saïed presented his Algerian and Egyptian counterparts with greetings on the occasion of the advent of the new year of Hegira 1445, reads a press release from the Presidency of the Republic.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse