- Tunisian authorities are planning to sell off shares in 12 state-owned companies this year in the process to speed up privatisation and boost economy, the state privatisation office has confirmed in a statement.
It said the country only managed to sell shares in only one state-owned firm in 2009, and this year’s much bigger sell-off suggested the government was speeding up plans to liberalise the economy.
The statement said although the north Africa state has braced itself as one of the most attractive destinations in the region for foreign investment, but it failed to sell more shares in 2009 due to global economic crisis which reduced its earnings to 3 percent from 4.8 percent in 2008.
The state's High Committee for Privatisation said that it would seek a strategic investor for steelmaker Societe Tunisienne de Siderurgie Al Fouledh.
It also said it would float 25 percent in shipping firm Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation on the Tunisian stock exchange and sell 20 percent in fuel distributor Societe Nationale pour la Distribution de Petrole through a public offering.
Other firms in the privatisation schedule for 2010 included a sugar importer, which is to sell off a 68 percent stake, and several finance, real estate and agricultural firms.
Since Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali came to office in 1987, the country has privatised 219 state enterprises, generating revenues of 5.9 billion dinars, officials said.
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.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español