Day: August 15, 2018

Tunisia’s Food Trade Balance Swings to Surplus in July

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The food trade balance posted a 182.7 MTD surplus in July against a 754.8 MTD deficit during the same period in 2017, which helped bring the coverage rate to 106.1%. Food exports and imports edged up 72.6% and 15.2%, respectively, according to data published by the National Observatory of Agriculture (French: ONAGRI). This surplus is the result of the rise in the value of exports, mainly olive oil (200.4%), tomatoes (38.3%) and fisheries (29.9%), the same data indicated.  Imports include durum wheat (532.2 thousand tonnes), soft wheat (729.7 thousand tonnes),…

Pinna –APDPE association celebrates India’s Independence Day by creating pathways for intercultural dialogue

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Independence Day is an annual observance celebrated every year on 15th of August. India’s Independence Day is a day of great significance for the people of India. This year in 2018, India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day to pay tribute and remember all the freedom fighters who had contributed a lot and fought for the Independence of India. This day is, as usual, celebrated by the Indian community in Tunisia. This year the celebration got  a special flavour for Pinna –APDPE association in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Tunisia.…

Equal inheritance rights for women in Tunisia, landmark initiative for equal society

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The proposal of the inheritance law sparked debate among Tunisians who were divided between the secular who commends the proposed law and support women’s equal rights in accordance with the Tunisian constitution and the cleric conservatives who opposed any changes on the law that might be seen as challenging the Islamic laws. The bill to be submitted to parliament soon aims to give women equal inheritance rights with men, as the debate over the topic of inheritance arouses a controversy among the different fringes of the Tunisian society. President Beji…

Tunisian entrepreneurs roll up sleeves after encouraging startup law

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Tunisia’s Startup Act, enacted this spring to encourage the young entrepreneurs in the country, has got the ball rolling for projects that range from agriculture biotechnology to software development. One of those entrepreneurs, Suniya Elabyadi, left her job in the public sector last year to set up an agriculture technology company, which now exports edible flowers to France. “Previously it was impossible for us to deal with customers abroad, because small companies were banned from opening foreign currency accounts,” Elabyadi told Al-Monitor. “The Startup Act has given us the right to do so, and…

China-built dam boosts Sino-Tunisian hydroelectric cooperation

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Wearing red and white safety helmets, around 20 Chinese and Tunisian mechanics were binding reinforcement bars on the floor at a dam project which is under construction. “I have worked in this dam construction for one year,” said the 24-year-old Wael Torkhani, a local resident. “I not only learned skills from my Chinese colleagues, but also earned enough money to support my family.” Passing through the mountains in El Kef province in northwestern Tunisia, the dam is built by Chinese power construction company Sinohydro, over the Mellegue River, which provides…