Day: July 11, 2017

Tunisia: Tourism and phosphate to bring growth to 2.3% (IMF)

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The International Monetary Fund (Fund) forecast a 2.3% growth for the Tunisian economy this year after a relatively sluggish year in 2016. The new forecast will be mainly driven by the tourism and phosphate sectors. Yet, the Bretton Woods institution stresses on the fragility of the economy of this country which is currently experiencing a particularly complex socio-political situation. The Fund also highlights structural drawbacks and an overvalued exchange rate which do not favor investment, in a context where trust in the country is still weak, two years after the…

‘TechGirls’ from Middle East and North Africa head to US

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Twenty-eight teenage girls from predominantly Muslim countries have been chosen to participate in the US State Department’s TechGirls 2017 exchange program. The girls, aged between 15 and 17, from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia, will take part in a 22 day summer exchange program in Washington DC and Virginia between July 12 and August 3. Previously the program had also included girls from Libya and Yemen, however this year they are not on the list of participating countries. TechGirls is an initiative of the US Department…

Kenya Takes the Lead in Medical Tourism

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Private health and wellness facilities are setting Kenya apart as one of the key medical tourist destinations in Africa, a new report shows. The Economic Development in Africa Report 2017 released by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) last week shows Kenya is one of Africa’s top beneficiaries of cross-border travel for medical purposes. Its health and wellness facilities are wooing hundreds of visitors from neighbouring states and helping to boost tourism industry. “The medical tourism is marked by African nationals seeking high-end specialised medical services and primary…

Tunisia: industrial production decreases 1% by end of April

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Production in the whole industry has decreased by 1% in the first four months of 2017, against a decline of 1.2% during the same period of the previous year, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). This decrease is mainly due to lower production in the non-metallic mineral product manufacturing sector (-6.8%), following the decline in cement production, the agri-food (-3.6%) and the chemical industry (-2.1%). Production also went down in the energy extraction sector by 5.9%, mainly due to lower production of crude oil and natural gas.  On…

Pentagon receptive to Tunisian lobbying against proposed Trump aid cut

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unisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed received some encouraging support from US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis today at the start of a two-day visit to Washington aimed at reversing proposed aid cuts. Chahed made the Pentagon his first official stop on his first US trip as head of government, underscoring the importance of the US-Tunisian relationship as the fledgling democracy battles domestic terrorism and instability in next-door Libya. His trip’s success will largely hinge on Chahed’s ability to reverse a proposed 82% cut in US military assistance over the fiscal year 2016 under President Donald…