Decisive structural reforms and an improved business climate are essential to put Tunisia's economy on a more sustainable path, create jobs for the growing youth population and better manage the country's debt burden, according to the Winter 2021 Edition of the World Bank's Tunisia Economic Monitor.
Titled "Economic Reforms to Navigate out of the Crisis" (in French, "Réformes économiques pour sortir de la crise"), the report estimates a slow economic recovery from COVID-19, with projected growth of 3% in 2021. Weighing on this recovery is rising unemployment, which increased from 15.1% to 18.4% in the third quarter of 2021, affecting the youth and people in the western regions hardest.
The report outlines how the weak recovery puts pressure on Tunisia's already strained public finances, with the budget deficit still elevated at 7.6% in 2021, despite a small contraction from 9.4% in 2020. The budget deficit is projected to gradually decline, reaching 5% to 7% of GDP in 2022-23, helped by lower health-related expenditures and provided that the moderately positive trajectory of spending and revenue are maintained. However, Tunisia's rising public debt will be hard to finance without decisive public finance and economic reforms, the report noted.
"Just like everywhere else, COVID-19 has adversely affected Tunisia's economy and the report strongly highlights the need to address longstanding challenges to sustainable growth, including improving the business environment," said Alexandre Arrobbio, World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia. "To emerge from this crisis, Tunisia needs to adopt decisive reforms to promote private sector development, boost competitiveness and create more jobs, especially for women and youth."
The first chapter of the report analyzes potential reasons behind Tunisia's slow economic recovery and highlights two specific factors: the country's reliance on tourism and transport services; and the rigidity of the business climate, including restrictions on investments and competition which constrain the reallocation of resources in the economy.
The second chapter elaborates on key barriers to competition, arguing that Tunisia's current regulatory environment restricts competition and discourages the development of new businesses. Looking ahead, the report recommends that policy reforms to ensure a level playing field in every sector are essential in order to boost employment for Tunisians and to increase purchasing power.
