Olive oil production to hit new record in the 2017-18 season in Tunisia

Olive oil production will reach a new record during the 2017-18 season, in Tunisia. The national oil office (ONH) indicated that the oilseed’s volume is expected to be 280, 000 tonnes during the period under review, well beyond the 5-year average of 190, 000 tonnes and the International Olive Oil Council’s initial estimates of 220, 000 tonnes Shipments should pursue the momentum recorded at the beginning of this year, reaching 200,000 tonnes by the end of the season, next October. For the record, at the end of March, Tunisia exported 110,…

US-led military strikes in Syria spark global call for political settlement

The US-led military attacks on alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria have raised grave global concern, with politicians calling strongly for relevant parties to return to dialogue and avoid an escalation of tensions. The strikes, launched by the United States along with its allies Britain and France before daybreak Saturday, followed reports of alleged chemical weapons use in Douma near the capital city of Damascus on April 7. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegation, calling for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to send a…

Data privacy: new global survey reveals growing internet anxiety

2018 poll of internet users in both developed and developing countries shows varying patterns of attitudes and behaviours toward the digital economy. Nearly four fifths of internet users in North America are concerned about privacy online, saying that internet companies are a primary source of their anxiety. This was 5% more than the year before, the latest poll data shows. The jump, recorded in a poll released today during the first day of E-Commerce Week, reflects growing concerns about data privacy and online security. The survey was conducted by the Centre for International Governance…

Tunisia’s “Startup Act” could show other African governments how to support tech ecosystems

The success story of local tech ecosystems across Africa has provided a positive narrative over the past decade. But much of this success has come despite the lack of an enabling environment or reformist legislation. Increasingly, however, governments across the continent are beginning to focus more on how to boost fledgling ecosystems. With a newly passed Startup Act (in Arabic)—a law which sets out government’s policies for startup growth—Tunisia appears to be taking the lead in this regard. The law has come after two years of deliberations with legislators engaging entrepreneurs, civil society, and…