Tunisia still aims to become the champion of French-speaking offshore.
6 May 2014
Read by 1612 persons
Three years after the Jasmine Revolution and despite the difficult democratic transition, the ambition to undertake remains strong in Tunisia. The Smart Tunisia program, which aims to make the country a host for offshore activities, should create more than 50,000 jobs in five years.
During an official visit to Paris on April 28 and 29, Mehdi Jomaa, the Tunisian Prime Minister (pictured with Laurent Fabius), will attempt to sell his "startup Tunisia." To France, which has promised €500 million in grants and loans, but also to French companies. Three years after the Jasmine Revolution, the ambition to make Tunisia a champion of French-speaking offshore remains, despite the delicate democratic transition.
Last January, the Smart Tunisia program was adopted. With a budget of €500 million, it aims to promote offshoring activities in the field of information and communication technologies. The program, which combines hiring bonuses and the implementation of quality infrastructure, should create more than 50,000 jobs in five years.
In the presentation below, Tunisia highlights its strengths. This nation of ten million inhabitants - of which 28% are French speakers - trains 60,000 university graduates per year, including 20,000 engineers and scientists. It is also said to be one of the most competitive destinations in the Euromed zone, with salaries 30% lower than its Moroccan rival, with an annual salary of $13,000 for a junior engineer.
A Partnership to promote Franco-Tunisian partnerships
Furthermore, last July, the Franco-Tunisian Alliance for Digital (ANFT) was launched during the state visit of François Hollande to Tunis. This Alliance aims to encourage partnerships between French and Tunisian companies in all sectors of digital applications, in order to jointly respond to international calls for tenders, particularly in Francophone and Arab-speaking Africa. Ultimately, the Alliance aims to create around fifty "equal" partnerships that would create several hundred jobs on both shores of the Mediterranean.
An important partnership, since meanwhile Germany is advancing its pawns. Our cousins have transformed their debt in Tunisia into investment. They have also established a partnership between the International University of Tunis (UIT), one of the best private universities, and the University of Applied Sciences in Mannheim in IT fields. Another advantage is that Tunisia also has a network of dynamic players. In 2013, twelve companies were listed on the stock exchange, including three in IT: CellCom, AeTech, OneTech and Syphax.
Khaled Ben Driss, director of the software engineering division of the IT services company Oxia, welcomes all this progress. However, he regrets that public demand is not following. "E-government projects remain on the shelf, even if we talk about a unique identifier project from the Ministry of Social Affairs, a Cnam card or a digital identity card. This type of project is capable of creating a critical mass for ITO." He also regrets the merger of the ministries dedicated to ICT and Higher Education.
Pro.01net.com
Published April 28, 2014.
Posted online May 6, 2014.
During an official visit to Paris on April 28 and 29, Mehdi Jomaa, the Tunisian Prime Minister (pictured with Laurent Fabius), will attempt to sell his "startup Tunisia." To France, which has promised €500 million in grants and loans, but also to French companies. Three years after the Jasmine Revolution, the ambition to make Tunisia a champion of French-speaking offshore remains, despite the delicate democratic transition.
Last January, the Smart Tunisia program was adopted. With a budget of €500 million, it aims to promote offshoring activities in the field of information and communication technologies. The program, which combines hiring bonuses and the implementation of quality infrastructure, should create more than 50,000 jobs in five years.
In the presentation below, Tunisia highlights its strengths. This nation of ten million inhabitants - of which 28% are French speakers - trains 60,000 university graduates per year, including 20,000 engineers and scientists. It is also said to be one of the most competitive destinations in the Euromed zone, with salaries 30% lower than its Moroccan rival, with an annual salary of $13,000 for a junior engineer.
A Partnership to promote Franco-Tunisian partnerships
Furthermore, last July, the Franco-Tunisian Alliance for Digital (ANFT) was launched during the state visit of François Hollande to Tunis. This Alliance aims to encourage partnerships between French and Tunisian companies in all sectors of digital applications, in order to jointly respond to international calls for tenders, particularly in Francophone and Arab-speaking Africa. Ultimately, the Alliance aims to create around fifty "equal" partnerships that would create several hundred jobs on both shores of the Mediterranean.
An important partnership, since meanwhile Germany is advancing its pawns. Our cousins have transformed their debt in Tunisia into investment. They have also established a partnership between the International University of Tunis (UIT), one of the best private universities, and the University of Applied Sciences in Mannheim in IT fields. Another advantage is that Tunisia also has a network of dynamic players. In 2013, twelve companies were listed on the stock exchange, including three in IT: CellCom, AeTech, OneTech and Syphax.
Khaled Ben Driss, director of the software engineering division of the IT services company Oxia, welcomes all this progress. However, he regrets that public demand is not following. "E-government projects remain on the shelf, even if we talk about a unique identifier project from the Ministry of Social Affairs, a Cnam card or a digital identity card. This type of project is capable of creating a critical mass for ITO." He also regrets the merger of the ministries dedicated to ICT and Higher Education.
Pro.01net.com
Published April 28, 2014.
Posted online May 6, 2014.
