"The initiative consists in organising monthly meetings bringing together national and international actors in Tunis and in the regions to share views with representatives of the public and private sectors, the academic and business opportunities and also with international development experts, World Bank Country Manager of Tunisia Tony Verheijen said at a press conference.
It also aims to discuss a new economic and development model for Tunisia, within the framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs), he added.
The initiative seeks to help "Tunisia to move away from the negative spiral in which it has found itself in recent years, especially since the future of Tunisia's economy lies in innovative projects, entrepreneurship, the environment and tourism".
The first edition of these meetings is scheduled for January 30, 2020 in Tunis. It will be themed "Inclusive Growth and Human Capital" and will bring together 15 to 20 specialists to discuss the current economic and social challenges facing Tunisia, the official added.
On the UNDP side, its Resident Representative in Tunisia, Steve Utterwulghe said the WB/UNDP initiative is the first of its kind in the MENA region.
It fits into an approach for better support focused on economic, social and development components in Tunisia.
They are all in all 12 sessions of EDP, 9 of which will be organised in 2020 in Tunis and 3 others will be held in the regions, according to an innovative format suited to the emergence of new ideas and forms of consensus.
The objective is to enable national stakeholders to jointly identify economic and development priorities as well as possible solutions to the challenges posed.
The planned debates will culminate in recommendations to initiate and feed into the reflection on possible national socio-economic reforms to be undertaken with a view to ensuring better access to regional development, better employability of young people or wider economic and financial inclusion.
The new government will be informed of avenues for reflection and practical and pragmatic solutions, the initiators suggested.
