Tunisia - Competitiveness Support Programme III (PAC III)

Competitiveness Support Programme III (CSP III) follows the pattern of the Bank’s operations to support Tunisia in its desire to attain a strong and sustainable growth, reduce unemployment rate while continuing to open its economy in tune with the international agreements undertaken in this regard. The reforms undertaken previously in the framework of the Competitiveness Support Programme mainly concerned the banking system and capital markets, the private sector, the new communication technologies sector, the insurance sector and the maintenance of a stable macroeconomic framework. CSP III, which pursues the reforms undertaken in these sectors, was conceived with the perfect concurrence of the Tunisian Government and, like previous programmes, it comes at a time in the country’s economic life marked by two decisive deadlines, namely: the discontinuation of the multifibre arrangement in 2005 and the instauration of the free trade area with the European Union in 2008. Its implementation will contribute to ensure the implementation by the Government of economic policies and orientations for private sector development, through support for the maintenance of a stable macroeconomic framework, improving the private sector investment environment and strengthening the financial sector.