Update October 1999: Tunisia

The Tunisian government is showing a very strong interest regarding the Internet. This is apparent through the organization of Internet awareness seminars and conferences, the establishment of a national fund designed to help with the development of websites, radio and TV programs. The Government’s aim is to introduce the Internet to Tunisian families. Full digitalization of the telephone network and the introduction of e-commerce are among the most important activities.

1. Projects

In 1997, the President of Tunisia has launched a project concerning the creation of a Technological Park of Telecommunications in Tunis. During the last trimester this project started to materialize. The park is situated at the region of Zone Raoued, in Tunis. Business companies and research institutes in the area of software development, informatics and communications will settle there. The site comprises also banks, restaurants, post office, conference and teleconference rooms. Various institutes and companies will move there during the next three months. The objective of this project is to create an area oriented towards "products and services", adapted to contemporary needs of the information technology age, able to create an active collaboration between research and industry in the fast growing field of ICT, assisting therefore Tunisia to integrate the modern information society. The telecommunication infrastructure of the whole park will be up to date, providing to its users all modern facilities.

2. Communication actions

• In early July, the Minister of Communication, Mr. Ahmed Friaa, announced that Tunisia reached at the end of June full digitalization of its telephone network. Tunisia plans to record a 17% growth rate at the end of 2001.
  
  
• CREDIF (Centre of Research, Studies, Documentation and Information on Woman) organized in the first week of July a training session for the better woman's professional evolution. Several questions have been examined regarding professional aspects and among the five workshops, it took place a special session focused on the initiation and exploitation of Internet.
  
  
• The ENA (National Administration School) Alumni Association organized on the first July fortnight a debate on electronic commerce, under the presidency of Mr. Ahmed Friaa, Minister of Communications, and in the presence of Mr. Taoufik Baccar, Minister of Finances and President of the association and Mr. Mohamed Ben Ahmed, Secretary of State for scientific research and technology. The debate allowed to define this type of trade, to be known the judicial framework and to evoke means to help enterprises concerned to form their human resources and to control the new communication technologies. Mr. Friaa indicated that the electronic trade represents, in this globalisation and opening era of economy, an alternative way to promote commercial trades, noticing that Tunisia has to continue its coherent strategy aiming to integrate the country in the information society. Mr. Friaa has urged enterprises, notably exporting companies, to optimise the exploitation of the available potential for economic purposes. Mr. Baccar has underlined that the importance of the electronic trade constitutes, in this stage, a strategic choice and a challenge for country's circulation to the cyber-avenues.
  
  
• In mid-September, the day before the school-year kick-off, the Minister of Education Mr. Abderrahim Zouari announced at a press conference that all the country's secondary schools have been connected to the Internet. The Tunisian government plans to have connected on the Net the 40% of the preparatory, for the secondary schools, classes by the end of the 1999-2000 year. According to Mr. Zouari, computer courses will be compulsory starting of the third year in secondary schools by 2000/2001 for all sections. He has given also, during the same press conference, some data concerning the planned infrastructure. At this moment, 271 computer laboratories are operational in secondary schools, while their number will reach 380 before the end of 1999. At the same time 50 colleges will be equipped in the same period. Concerning training programs to teachers of information technology, Mr. Zouari has announced a large training program that will be organized and will concern 4000 teachers.
  
  
• September-October An one-month raising awareness campaign is in progress regarding the profits that could have the Tunisian enterprises from the Internet usage and focusing especially on their higher sensitivity about the Net. The minister of communications, Mr. Ahmed Friaa, has given Sunday the 9^th of September the kick-off of this action which is named "Caravanes de l'Internet 99". The campaign, that will continue until 5 October 1999, has started with two departure caravans, one to Tataouine (South) and the other to the Kef (North-west), where a day of sensibility will be organized with a program of conferences on Internet and electronic commerce, as well as workshops on the same issues. Under the framework of this campaign an awareness week at a national level will be organized and the best innovative actions will be awarded in a TV-soiree. The campaign is under the auspices of the Ministry of Communication. Note that 16,000 subscribers are already connected to the Internet in Tunisia (figure of the end of August 1999).

3. Publication

Tunisia will soon be part of the first 10 countries to be endowed with a judicial framework organizing electronic commerce. This project of law is currently under study by the national technical commission of electronic commerce.

4. Expertise

The President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali met on Monday, August the 30^th, with Mr. Hatem Ben Othman, president of the "Conseil Superieur de la Communication", for discussions about the setting up of an Observatory within the Superior Council of Communication. The role of the Observatory will be consulting, ensuring the follow-up of the development of the information and communications sector in the country and will present suggestions to that effect. The President has underlined in this occasion that the Observatory will ensure, not only the follow-up and the evaluation of this sector, but will be also an important pole of promotion.

In late September, Microsoft has announced the creation of a subsidiary company in Tunisia. According to Microsoft, the market in the country is increasing rapidly and more than 400 companies on information technology are already operating in Tunisia. Microsoft’s Tunisie plans, according to his Director, include local development of software and the operation of a training center.