Day: February 6, 2024

The weather Tuesday is partly cloudy in most regions. The wind is blowing relatively strong in the south, light to moderate elsewhere. Temperatures are slightly up with highs ranging between 19 and 26°C nationwide Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The plenary session of the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) on Tuesday is considering a draft organic law on Tunisia's accession to the Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime, the "Budapest Convention 2001," which provides an opportunity for Tunisia to contribute to the international effort to combat cross-border ICT-related crime. The reason for presenting the bill to the plenary session is to underline Tunisia's efforts to draw up legal frameworks covering cybercrime, by incorporating this phenomenon into the Penal Code since 1999 and avoiding loopholes by promulgating Decree No. 54 of 2022 on combating offences related to information and communication systems. The explanatory document states that "Decree No. 54 of 2022 is in line with international legal developments in this field since the adoption of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime," namely the Budapest Convention of 2001, to which many States around the world have acceded. The Convention will help Tunisia's legal system and national structures involved in combating crimes related to information and communication systems to make the most of the legal procedures approved by the Treaty, notably as regards information sharing between member states. The ARP's General Legislation Committee examined the bill on January 25, 2024. The committee heard on January 29, Minister of Information and Communication Technologies Nizar Ben Neji as well as representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Interior. Ben Neji told the committee that "cybercrime is a cross-continental crime" and that Tunisia's accession to this Convention is part of the National Strategy on Cyber Security, which aims to support international efforts in this field. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The 3rd Tunisia Africa Business Meetings (TABM) will be organised on July 2-3, 2024, at the initiative of the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX) and in cooperation with the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), CEPEX CEO Mourad Ben Hassine told a press conference in Tunis on Tuesday. As part of the support for exports to sub-Saharan African countries, this event aims to steer Tunisian exporting companies more towards African markets and to endeavour to better step up trade with sub-Saharan African countries. This year, almost 2,000 business meetings will be organised, with the participation of 300 Tunisian exporting companies (compared to 200 during the previous edition) and 150 African companies (compared to 80 during the 3rd edition), from 25 African countries, explained Ben Hassine. These companies operate in nine growth sectors: Agri-food, construction, mechanical and electrical engineering, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals, public works, health services, education, training and information technology. Taking the floor, Project Manager for the Promotion of Export Activities to New Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa (PEMA II) at GIZ Lisa Menucha pointed out that the 2022 event had been a success, based on an evaluation carried out among participants. According to this evaluation, 67% of African companies out of a total of 84 had signed business contracts with Tunisian companies, she said. CEPEX intends to organise 74 promotional activities in 2024 With regard to CEPEX's 2024 export agenda, Ben Hassine underlined that 74 promotional activities will be organised, divided between the organisation of Tunisian participation in trade fairs and shows abroad, delegations of businessmen and professional meetings, as well as prospecting missions and visits by importers to Tunisia. The 2024 programme includes the organisation of 29 trade events abroad and 45 promotional operations targeting foreign markets. A total of 560 companies are expected to take part in this year's promotional activities, targeting 25 markets in Africa (9), the Arab countries (7) and Europe (8). Six new destinations will be introduced in 2024: the Sultanate of Oman, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Guinea, Senegal and Canada. In 2023, merchandise export revenues reached almost TND 62 billion, up by TND 4.5 billion (7.9%) on 2022. The increase in revenue from exports of goods, at a faster rate than imports, will reduce the trade deficit by TND 8.1 billion, to TND 17 billion in 2023, and improve the rate of coverage of imports by exports to 8.9%. Export revenues from the other export sectors, excluding revenues from energy and lubricating oils, as well as mining, phosphate and its derivatives, rose by 12.5% to TND 55.6 billion. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse