Tunis, Tunisia, October 7, 2013
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) today supported the Tunisian Ministry of Development and International Cooperation to begin a project that will set up the Tunisia Investment Authority and improve investment opportunities in the country.
The project will review Tunisia’s institutional framework, and the processes that govern investments in Tunisia. It will seek to improve public sector governance of investment regulations and develop investment strategies for key sectors. It will also maintain dialogue between the public and private sectors, to ensure transparency in forming policies to expand the economy and create jobs.
“The successful implementation of this project will increase investments, as well as the number of firms investing, and enhance the business environment for local and foreign businesses,” said Lamine Doghri, Minister of Development and International Cooperation. “We are looking forward to our continued partnership with IFC and OECD.”
The collaboration builds on extensive efforts to improve the investment climate in Tunisia, especially over the past two years. The country has benefited from the Investment Policy Review undertaken by the OECD, in cooperation with the government, and the project will complement an ongoing review of Tunisia’s Code of Investment, which encourages principles of non-discrimination, transparency, and competition.
“As part of IFC’s commitment to bolstering the investment climate in the Middle East and North Africa, this project will play a crucial role in encouraging new and retaining old investment in Tunisia, thus fostering competition, creating growth, and providing jobs,” said Antoine Courcelle Labrousse, Resident Representative of IFC in Tunisia.
Karim Dahou, Executive Manager at the OECD, said: “By enhancing the coordination of investment policy in strategic sectors, this partnership should help Tunisia upgrade international value chains, and create employment opportunities.”
This project was made possible with support from the MENA Transition Fund, a vehicle created by the Deauville Partnership. The fund demonstrates a joint commitment by G8 member countries, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, regional partners, and international and regional financial institutions to promote more accountable governance, sustainable economic growth, and greater employment opportunities for young people and women.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. Working with private enterprises in more than 100 countries, we use our capital, expertise, and influence to help eliminate extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity. In FY13, our investments climbed to an all-time high of nearly $25 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs and tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit
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About OECD
The mission of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. Drawing on facts and real-life experience, we recommend policies designed to make the lives of ordinary people better.
