Tunisia- The poverty rate in Tunisia was down from 20.5% to 15.2% in the period extending from 2010 to 2015, as per a quinquennial survey on consumption made public by Hédi Saidi, the general director of the National Institute of Statistics.

“From 2010 to 2015, the poverty rate went from 42.3% to 30.8% in the Midwest and from 11.1% to 5.3% in the Greater Tunis,” added Saidi.

A regional breakdown of data shows that poverty is most widespread in the West and some provinces in the South, where the rate exceeds the national average, such as Kef, Kasserine and Béja, with 34.2%, 32.8% and 32% poverty rates.

As for the Tunisian annual consumption, results have shown a quick development between 2010 and 2015, reaching TND3,871 (USD1,500) in 2015 compared to TND2,661 in 2010.

On a different level, Tunisia has signed an agreement with Germany by which it can be granted loans and funding worth EUR30.2 million to develop exploitation of water resources, especially in internal regions.

Economist Ezzedine Suaidan expected 2017 to be a tough economic year in Tunisia due to expansion of domestic and foreign debts and being due in the current year. “Tunisia is supposed to pay off TND8 billion (USD3,2 billion) during 2017, “ he stated.

The economist added that it is unlikely to achieve a growth rate that ranges between 4.5% and 5% in the new year, as a direct comment on the optimistic forecasts made public by Al-Shazli Al-Ayari, the governor of Tunisia’s Central Bank.