- Tunisia tops the competitiveness index in Africa according to the 2009 World Economic Forum report published in Cape Town, South Africa, by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank and the Global Economic Forum on competitiveness of the continent.
Tunisia which is ranked 36th globally in the competitiveness index, has portrayed competitiveness on goods markets, taxation systems and agricultural sectors that are not very costly to the economy, according to the report.
The report said Tunisia's institutions are one of its major competitive advantages based on fairly transparent and trustworthy relations between the government and civil society and limited favoritism on the part of government officials.
However, despite ranking second in Africa in technological readiness, Tunisia still suffers from low technology penetration rates, according the report.
The report further said Tunisia has a well functioning health and educational system, as well as sound levels of domestic competition. Tunisia is ranked 17th in the world in terms of the quality of its educational system and 7th in terms of the quality of math and science education.
The report also stated that the country is equipped with infrastructure that meets international standards and that the number of internet users has reached 2,310,000 in 2008. Some 8,375 million people out of a population of 10,3 million are also said to own a cell phone in the country.
Tunisia earned a score of 4.6 points, ahead of South Africa (4.4 points), Botswana (4.2 points) and Mauritius (4.2 points), while Morocco ranked fifth with 4.1 points.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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