November 2000

Tunisia Update Memo

The following report outlines new developments in the past three months and the state of on-going developments.

1. Introduction and Summary

The electronic currency '' e-Dinar '' made it possible to carry out remotely the first university inscriptions at the higher School of communications and the higher Institute of the technological studies of communications (ISET-COM). The Head of the State recommended to gradually generalize this experiment with all the higher educational establishments in coordination with the ministry of Post and Communications, to make widely known the advantages of E-dinar and to simplify the methods of its utilisation. As to the prospects of regulations the House of Commons adopted the bill on the electronic commerce and the electronic transactions.

2. Information Society Policy

2.1 Historical overview and general legislation

The House of Commons adopts the bill on the electronic commerce and electronic transactions

A bill regulating electronic commerce was adopted on the 27^th of July. This law regulates the use of the electronic commerce as well as electronic signature. This legislation comes to enclose three years of studies on electronic commerce carried out by a national Commission since its creation in November 1997. This commission was responsible for studying the various aspects of electronic commerce (legal, commercial, financial and tax, security, etc.) and a final report was submitted to the government in March 1999. In May 1999, a ministerial consultation discussed the Commission Report and took significant measures to prepare the implementation of electronic commerce in Tunisia.

2.2 Telecommunications and Internet

Internet access in Tunisia

The numbers of subscribed Internet users in Tunisia continues to increase. Whereas the number of Internet subscribers was 111 in 1996, it exceeded 33.000 in July 2000 (subscribed users figures). The total number of the Internet users is currently estimated at 200.000. The field of education includes the majority of the Net surfers with 65%, 18% for companies, 15 % for domestic use and 2 % for the sectors of agriculture and health.

Tunisie Telecom invites equipment supply tenders

Tunisia's state-run Tunisie Telecom has launched an international tender for the supply of high-tech equipment to develop its regional networks. According to a recent study, Tunisia is expected to raise its fixed phonelines penetration to 14 percent by the year 2001, from the current 9.5 percent. Tunisia has around 42,000 GSM mobile phone subscribers and plans to raise its capacity to 100,000 by end of 2000.

Tunisie Telecom launches new services

Within the framework of the services sector and targeting the expansion of on-line services Tunisie Télécom (telecommunication operator of Tunisia) started to create procedures of home-payment and tele-consultation of the telephone invoice. A subscriber of Tunisie Télécom can visit the www.TunisieTelecom.tn site and get information on his telephone consumption. The team of new technologies within Tunisie Télécom started the new service.

2.3 Electronic Commerce

Launching of the electronic currency e-Dinar

An electronic currency, "e - Dinar" was launched on the 29^th of August 2000 by the Tunisian Position. This new electronic procedure makes the decision taken by the ministerial advice, presided over by the President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali a reality. It concerns the "immaterial" economy and appeals to the launching of pilot projects on university inscription from a distance.

The electronic dinar is a new method of payment. It is a similar card to the classic banking cards, sold in post offices in Tunisia, with a confidential code. The card is rechargeable and available with various exchange value. Students of School Superior of Communications (Sup Com) and the Institute Superior of Communications of Tunis (ISET Com) have proceeded to their university inscriptions via Internet using the "e - Dinar" for the payment of inscription expenses. The "e - Dinar" constitutes a supplementary stage in the process of promoting the trade and electronic commerce in Tunisia.

2.4 Others

ITU launches world summit for Information Society

The International Telecommunication Union has agreed to organize a World Summit on Information Society, to be held in 2003. Both Switzerland and Tunisia have signaled interest in hosting the event, and the venue will be decided before the end of this year. The summit will be held under ITU's leadership in close cooperation with interested United Nations agencies. The aim of the Summit is to develop a common vision and understanding of the information society, drawing up a strategic plan of action for its concerted development.