Month: October 2023

Monitoring opportunities and meeting challenges for market expansion in 2024

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With 2024 just around the corner, the Tunisian solar energy market is poised for significant expansion, presenting a myriad of opportunities and challenges. The country’s installed capacity will pass the 200 MW mark for solar PV capacity by 2023. In the last decade, Tunisia has demonstrated a growing interest in developing solar energy. The country has witnessed the launch of numerous initiatives and projects aimed at exploiting Tunisia’s vast solar potential. In particular, the deployment of large-scale, distributed solar systems has increased sharply, contributing to a more diversified energy mix.…

Call for applications to the “Start’n’Trade” program

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In a methodical approach designed to stimulate exporting SMEs and put them in touch with innovative startups, CEPEX is kicking off the “Start’n’Trade” program. Implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Communication Technologies, this initiative aims to :Facilitate collaboration between SMEs and startups.Stimulate SME exports.Create opportunities for startups.Encourage the development of partnerships.Encourage open innovation. The exp At the heart of the Start’n’Trade program lies the opportunity for the most advanced company-startup pairs, in terms of Proof of Concept (POC), to win one of three vouchers worth 10,000 euros.…

Diaspora: Tunisian-French fintech My Easy Transfer raises €400,000 from 216 Capital

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216 Capital announced that it has invested 400,000 euros in Tunisian-French startup My Easy Transfer, which facilitates secure diaspora transfers. “This fund-raising marks a major step in the history of the startup, which aims to evolve its platform to meet all the payment needs of the diaspora: money transfer, sending mobile top-ups, local bill payment…in a single mobile application”, points out 216 Capital. It adds: Founded in 2022, My Easy Transfer also plans to evolve its model to become the first payment Super App for the diaspora, strengthening its presence…

Tunisia and Italy approve programs on immigration and combating crime

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Tunisia and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Friday to manage the legal flow of Tunisian immigrants to Italy. The agreement provides for an annual quota of 4,000 non-seasonal residence permits over a three-year period for Tunisian workers in Italy. On this occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar held a working session with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani and the ministerial delegation accompanying him, including Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests Francesco Lollobrigida,…

Businessmen from Tunisia and Libya meet in Djerba to discuss investments

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The Higher Council of Tunisian-Libyan Businessmen, operating through its Medenine governorate office, is holding the third session of the International Entrepreneurs’ Forum, due to take place in Djerba from November 23 to 26, under the theme “Investment prospects in Tunisia and neighboring countries”. On the first day of the forum, the focus will be on investment law in Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria, and the possibilities for its development, in order to encourage private entrepreneurs to launch projects and take greater advantage of possible joint investment opportunities and the development of…

Tunisian date production up 14%.

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The date harvest in Tunisia began this week. Unlike other crops, which are suffering from a year of drought, the date sector is doing well, with production actually up on last season. Mohamed Akermi, CEO of Tunileaf, reports on the start of the season. Akermi told FreshPlaza: “Everything went well in terms of production, we had less heat and we were able to ensure sufficient irrigation, which translated into a better yield than last year. Quality is very good, especially for premium dates. Official estimates from the Tunisian Ministry of…

BCT maintains its key interest rate at 8%.

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Tunisia’s Central Bank (BCT) on Wednesday kept its key interest rate unchanged at 8%, the bank said. The BCT reported that the current account deficit fell significantly to 3.461 billion dinars ($1.09 billion), or 2.2% of GDP at the end of September 2023, compared with a deficit of 10.387 billion dinars, or 7.2% of GDP, a year ago. It added in a statement that the trade deficit fell to 11.6 billion dinars at the end of September 2023, compared with 17 billion dinars at the end of the same month…

Solar car start-up Bako Motors drives sustainable future

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Bako Motors, a pioneering Tunisian-German solar car start-up, is making waves in the sustainable transportation sector with their innovative approach to urban mobility. Founded in 2021, the company has gained international recognition for its eco-friendly solutions, most notably the Bako B1 electric tricycle. Now, on the cusp of a ground-breaking revelation, Bako Motors tells Ventureburn it is gearing up to unveil their second model, set to further revolutionise last-mile delivery and introduce an innovative passenger option. The Bako B1, the company’s first venture into sustainable mobility, has been a game-changer…

Tunisia targets tourism and renewable energies against a backdrop of economic crisis

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Pending approval of a $1.9 billion financing program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Tunisia said it hoped to overcome a deepening economic crisis with the help of tourism and renewable energy revenues. A fourth year of drought will reduce economic growth to 1%, against an initial forecast of 1.8%, Economy and Planning Minister Samir Saied told Bloomberg in Marrakech, Morocco, on Saturday. However, the country has managed to control inflation and the current account deficit, he added. “After a series of global crises and shocks that had a considerable…

Tunisia: Over 6 billion TND in tourism receipts for first time

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Tourism receipts exceeded the 6 billion dinars mark for the first time on October 10, 2023, far outperforming their all-time record (in dinars) for the whole of 2019 (5.6 billion dinars). Tourism receipts were up 41.5% on the level recorded on October 10, 2022. In dollar terms, though, tourism receipts recorded up to October 10, 2023, came to $1.94 billion, exceeding the 2019 level but still below the absolute record set for the whole of 2008, which stood at $2.75 billion. The annual average exchange rate of the dollar against…