Government Chief Receives World Bank Vice President
The Head of Government, Kamel Madouri, received the Vice President of the World Bank (WB) for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Ousmane Dione, accompanied by the Regional Director for the Maghreb and Malta, Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye, and their delegation, at the Government Palace in Kasbah on Monday.
Sustainable Development and Economic Growth
During the meeting, Madouri highlighted the foundations of the development approach advocated by the President of the Republic, Kais Saïd, which focuses on achieving sustainable and integrated development, as well as the state's commitment to creating the necessary conditions for genuine economic growth.
To achieve this goal, Madouri emphasized the need to improve the business climate, strengthen the competitiveness of the private sector to create quality jobs, encourage productive investments, and offer a favorable environment for investment projects, particularly in promising sectors such as renewable energy, innovation, and technology.
Social and Economic Rights
The Head of Government also discussed the state's efforts to guarantee citizens' social and economic rights by improving services in essential areas such as health, education, transportation, and social protection. These initiatives are part of a development vision that aims to ensure an equitable distribution of wealth and equal opportunities, while fostering a resilient and competitive entrepreneurial fabric in the face of global transformations.
Structural Reforms and Governance
Madouri stressed the importance of the structural reforms undertaken by the state to strengthen governance, improve the profitability of public enterprises, ensure energy sovereignty, optimize water resource management, stimulate growth, expand social coverage, and create job opportunities.
Tunisia-World Bank Cooperation
During the meeting, Madouri praised the solid cooperation between Tunisia and the World Bank, recalling that the institution has supported numerous structural reforms and development projects. He expressed his wish to elevate these relations to a strategic partnership, particularly through the financing of priority projects, with the aim of dynamizing local and regional development in the medium and long term.
Economic Reforms and Digitalization
The Head of Government also highlighted the importance of the economic and structural reforms undertaken by Tunisia, focusing on public enterprises, infrastructure, and economic openness. These reforms are accompanied by the adoption of an attractive legislative framework and the digitalization of services to encourage wealth creation.
World Bank Support
On his part, Ousmane Dione reaffirmed the World Bank's commitment to supporting Tunisia in its reform and development efforts. He praised the progress made in several sectors since his last visit in December 2024 and assured that the Bank's support would align with national priorities, particularly in the areas of energy, water, waste management, SME financing, start-ups, and digitalization.
Renewable Energy and Logistics
Dione emphasized the importance of investing in renewable energy, transferring technologies, and developing a national industry in this field. He also stressed the strategic role of port and logistics services, inviting Tunisia to maximize its potential in this sector.
New Development Policy
Finally, Dione expressed the World Bank's willingness to support Tunisia's new development policy, which aims to integrate economic and social dimensions while reducing regional disparities, and praised the participatory approach adopted by Tunisia to involve regions and citizens in the development of development policies.
