Maghreb Edition

Tunisia’s weak economic performance compounded by late data releases

Posted On 22 May 2024

Number of times this article was read : 4087

Tunisia’s political system is still compromised, but the economy is showing some signs of minimal recovery. However, one area that is contributing to the inability of decision makers to react to changes and challenges in the economy is the time it takes for economic data to be released. For example, it is only now, May 2024, that we learned that banks showed cumulative profits of 1.474 billion dinars in 2023, compared to 1.263 billion in 2022.

The data does not include STB, CitiBank, BFPME and BTL, which strangely have not yet published their results. While the news is positive, with banks showing double-digit growth in profits, the fact that it took months to generate partial data is a big problem for business operators and policy makers.

Likewise, the government only announced recently that the state budget managed a surplus of 1.3 billion dinars at the end of 2023, down from 1.4 billion dinars at the end of March 2023. Again these figures released months after the fiscal period ended is indicative of a poorly tracked economy.

The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling

Niger’s military authorities have authorized the removal and transport of uranium from the SOMAÏR mine at Arlit without the involvement of longtime operator Orano, prompting the French nuclear group to denounce the shipment as illegal and in breach of a September 2025 World Bank–linked arbitration ruling. While Niamey signals plans to sell the stock on the open market as an assertion of resource sovereignty, the move raises legal, safety, and security concerns as uranium travels by road through conflict‑affected Sahel corridors.

Benin Soldiers Mount Brief Coup Attempt

In the span of a few hours on December 7, a small group of soldiers in Benin, West Africa, moved from night‑time attacks on senior officers’ homes to a televized announcement claiming they had removed President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution. Forces loyal to the government swiftly retook the national broadcaster and key positions in Cotonou, and authorities now say the coup attempt has been defeated even as some officers remain missing and questions about the mutineers’ support network persist.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.