Month: August 2019

First Tunis RFR trains due to arrive in Tunisia soon

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The first Hyundai Rotem EMUs for the Tunis RFR suburban network have been outshopped from the firm’s plant in Changwon, Korea, with the first two sets due to arrive in Tunisia in the coming days, the International Rail Journal reports. Tunisian National Railways (SNTF) awarded Hyundai Rotem a Dinars 416m ($US 147m) contract in October 2018 to supply 28 of the four-car trains. Each 107.9m-long EMU will accommodate 1202 passengers (6p/m2), 248 of them seated, the same added. The 25kV ac 50Hz trains have a maximum speed of 120km/h, the International Rail…

Foreign currency reserves rise to high level in two years

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The foreign currency reserves reached nearly 17 billion dinars, corresponding to 95 days of import as at August 9, 2019, up 35.3% over the same period last year, the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) said on Wednesday. At the same date last year, foreign currency reserves were just under 11 billion dinars, equivalent to 71 days of imports. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had approved the payment of a 247-million-dollar instalment (about 730 million dinars) for Tunisia, which represents the sixth instalment of the extended fund facility. The BCT also…

Hergla to host film festival on Tunisian animation on August 19-22

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The Hergla film festival 14th edition will be held from August 19 to 22. Aimed to spotlight African and Med films, the Festival is sponsored by the Association Ciné-Sud Patrimoine, in association with the Italian Institute of Culture, the Tunisian culture ministry and TV5 MONDE. This edition’s main focus is Tunisian animation films and their evolution since the 1960s, with the pioneer of the genre Mongi Sancho, up to the present days with “Briska”, the latest work by the young director Nadia Rais. Rais is considered one of the most…

Tunisia ready to supply Libya with power to deal with outage crisis

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CEO of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) Moncef Harrabi said that Tunisia has a large production capacity and a large reserve of energy, which enables it to provide Libya with electricity supplies. “Tunisia has sufficient capacity and reserves to cover all its regions’ needs of electricity and enables it to help Libya, especially after the opening of four new stations in Tunisia,” Harrabi said in a press statement. Libyan cities are experiencing long power outages that could exceed 10 hours a day, due to the high level of…

ISIE approves 26 presidential nominations

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The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) Authority initially approved 26 nominations out of 97 for September 15 early presidential elections, President of the election authority Nabil Baffoun Wednesday said at a meeting with the press conference. Two women are in the race, he added. August 31 is the deadline for the final list of presidential candidates to be released. TunisianMonitorOnine

ISWIT 2019 due on August 15-25 in Djerba and Zarzis

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The International Student Week in Tunisia (ISWIT) whose motto is “The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes” is due on August 15-25 in Djerba and Zarzis. The start of the student festival is due this year in Djerba. It is open to students from the whole world with a view to bringing together over 150 youths, including participants, moderators and volunteers, as part of workshops that cover a multitude of issues. “Through workshops, close communication and cooperation, interactive lectures and various open…

Tunisia announces grid-connection of its first solar park

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The 10 MW facility is located in Tozeur, in southern Tunisia. The project was also financed by the German development bank KFW under Tunisia’s solar program Plan Solaire Tunisien (PST). The project is owned by Tunisian state-owned Tunisian Electricity and Gas (STEG) company and is located near Tozeur, in the south of the country, pv-magazine reported. STEG kicked off the tender for the project in 2014. Italian solar developer Ternienergia won the €12.5 million EPC contract for the project in March 2017. The €16 million project was financed by German…

Founder Institute Tunisia officially starts its 5th cohort

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Founder Institute Tunisia is a startup accelerator in the pre-startup or pre-financing phase. Since 2009, through the Founder Institute, more than 3,500 startups have managed to raise more than $800 million and create startups that are growing exponentially. Based in Silicon Valley with chapters spread over 65 countries, Founder Institute is committed to providing innovative and talented communities with the means and tools to create successful startups. Since 2015, 24 new Tunisian startups have been born, through Founder Institute Tunisia, during the 4 cohorts organized in only 3 years. Founded…

120 MD EU granted to Tunisia to strengthen fishing sector and develop working-class neighborhoods

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The European Union donated some 120 million dinars (MD) to Tunisia to support the fisheries sector and help develop popular neighbourhoods. Two agreements were signed for this purpose on Tuesday in Tunis by the Ministry of Development, Investment and International Cooperation and the French Development Agency (AFD), with attendance of several Tunisian officials and European diplomats. The first grant agreement of 20 MD will co-finance the rehabilitation and modernisation of the fisheries and aquaculture sector and restore the fishing port in Kelibia. The fishing sector employs about 100,000 people and…

EU, UNODC launch 3-year project to dismantle migrant smuggling, human trafficking networks

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The European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa are launching a three-year project aimed at supporting Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia in dismantling migrant smuggling and human trafficking criminal networks operating in North Africa, the duo announced in a press statement. The EU has set a budget of €15m ($16.69m) for the project, which will be implemented by the UNODC Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa under the framework of the North Africa Window of the…