Author: BGMN

Tunisian Banks: High Operating Environment Risks Constrain Growth and Profitability (Fitch Ratings)

BGMN

Tunisian banks’ credit profiles have been resilient to very challenging business conditions. Rising interest rates have slightly supported the sector’s profitability, as most corporate loans (around 70% of sector loans) are floating-rate, while low-cost current accounts and – to a lesser extent – savings accounts make up the bulk of banks’ funding, Fitch Ratings reports on Tuesday. The sector’s return on equity rose to 10.8% in 2023 (2022: 9.1%). Higher profitability and weak credit growth led to a slight improvement in regulatory capital ratios, with the sector’s total capital adequacy…

Tunisia hosts the GS1 MEMA Forum: QR codes mandatory by 2027

BGMN

The GS1 MEMA (Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa) Regional Forum is being held from 7 to 9 October in Tunis, under the theme ‘Strengthening collaboration and innovation’, to present technical developments in product coding and its advantages. The forum is intended as a platform for entrepreneurs and experts representing 24 GS1 MEMA member countries to meet, according to Elyes Ben Amer, Director of the Société Tunisienne de Codification (GS1 Tunisia). He pointed out that the company, which was set up in 1992, has assisted and supported more than six thousand…

Language Policy System in Arab Countries

BGMN

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAA), in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), is organising a conference entitled “Language Policy System in Arab Countries” on October 22 and 23 at its headquarters in Tunis. The conference will serve as a forum for leading academics, experts and others to discuss the status of the Arabic language, its role as an integral part of the Arab countries and their identity, and its presence in the educational, social, scientific and cultural spheres, as well as the challenges…

Said wins Tunisian presidential election with 89.2% of the vote – exit poll

BGMN

Preliminary turnout at 27.7 per cent by the time polls closed, according to ISIE Incumbent Tunisian President Kais Saied has won a second term in Sunday’s election with 89.2 per cent of the vote, according to an exit poll. “The estimated results indicate that Kais Saied has won the presidential election with 89.2%, or 2,194,150 votes,” said Hassan Zargouni, director of the Sigma Conseil polling company, on Tunisian public television. The electoral authority announced the final list of candidates on 2 September, including three candidates: incumbent President Kais Saied, opposition…

Tunisians go to the polls

BGMN

Tunisians go to the polls on Saturday 6 October to vote in a presidential election that is expected to be won by the incumbent president. Whatever the outcome, it is essential that all conditions for a free and fair election are met and that young people, who make up the majority of Tunisia’s population, play an active role in the electoral process. Whoever wins, it is important to achieve a high turnout for fair elections and to pave the way for greater stability, coexistence and political consensus. Despite the concerted…

The story behind a misleading media campaign

BGMN

In recent times, there has been growing concern about the prevalence of biased and provocative press articles and reports in some foreign media outlets. These reports have presented themselves as exemplars of “trusted journalism,” yet regrettably, this is not an accurate reflection of their recent output. The aforementioned media outlets have been engaging in a pattern of abusive journalism, characterised by a lack of objectivity and a proclivity towards sensationalism. This has been perceived by political analysts as part of a concerted media campaign in the lead-up to the Tunisian…

Tunisian film ‘Take My Breath’ shortlisted for Oscars

BGMN

Tunisian film ‘Take My Breath’ has been nominated to represent Tunisian cinema in the 97th Academy Awards for the Best International Feature Film, it was announced today. In a statement, Izzy Cinema Distribution and the entire team of Nada Mezni Hafaiedh’s film ‘Take My Breath’ expressed their pleasure at this nomination, explaining that this film was selected by a committee organised under the supervision of the National Centre for Cinema and Image (CNCI). Synopsis: ‘Take My Breath’ is a feature film about Shams, a 23-year-old young woman living on a…

Tunisia retrieves 12 bodies of undocumented immigrants off south-east coast

BGMN

The Tunisian coastguard recovered 12 bodies of undocumented immigrants, including three infants, after their boat sank off the island of Djerba in south-eastern Tunisia. ‘A total of 29 immigrants were rescued during the operation, and the search for the missing, whose number was not specified, is still underway,’ Houcemeddine Jbabli, spokesman for the Tunisian National Guard, told media ‘The boat set sail this morning at around 5.15 am local time (0415 GMT),’ said Mr Jbabli, adding that most of the immigrants were Tunisian nationals, accompanied by two foreign immigrants. TunisianMonitorOnline

Tunisia seeks to be at the forefront of the global green hydrogen scene

BGMN

Photo credit goes to Canva Tunisia announces strategy to boost renewable energy and green hydrogen production amid regional challenges, as part of an ambitious national strategy to transform the country into a world leader in green hydrogen production.Tunisia has unveiled an ambitious national strategy aimed at transforming the country into a world leader in the production of green hydrogen. Blessed with abundant solar and wind resources, Tunisia is poised to capitalise on these assets to produce clean hydrogen, a versatile energy carrier with the potential to decarbonise a range of…

TANIT project launched: Sustainable tourism initiative in Tunisia

BGMN

Credit photo goes to the European Union official website The ‘TANIT’ project was launched Friday in Tunis by Leaders International and Museum Lab in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the European Union. Co-funded by the EU, the TANIT project is an initiative designed to strengthen the development of sustainable tourism in Tunisia. It aims to build the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) active in the sustainable tourism sector, promoting an inclusive approach that enhances the country’s rich natural and cultural heritage, the European Union official website reports.…