Tunisia expects a growth rate of 4.5% at constant prices in 2013 against 3.5% in 2012, Jameleddine Gharbi, Minister of Regional Development and Planning said at a press conference held Friday in Tunis.
However, this objective is dependent on a recovery in economic activity, particularly in sectors that experienced a decline or slowing down of performance in 2011 and 2012. This growth will also rely on a more balanced contribution of sources of growth with a strong contribution from exports. It is also expected that investment rose to 22.7% of national GDP. This increase is dependent on the recovery of private investment and vitalization of public investment, he said.
According to forecast, financial balances will recover in 2013. The trade deficit will be controlled at around 5.325 billion dinars, to reach 6.9% of the GDP against 5.307 billion dinars, or 7.5% of the GDP in 2012. The consumer price will also be controlled at the level of 4% against 5% in 2012.
Stronger exports of goods and services will be at 10% thanks to efforts to diversify products and markets, being reported that foreign demand for Tunisia will evolve at a rate of 3.7% in 2013 compared to 2012.
Investment revenues posted 10.7% increase in the first half of this year. Foreign investment grew by 42.8% during the first five months of this year. To June 2012, cement sales increased 9.2%. Meanwhile, investment intentions in industry fell 3.3% in late June 2012. In the industry-related services sector, the increase was about 69.3%.
Regarding employment, the Minister said that 26,713 job positions were created during the first half of 2012, against 23,181 jobs in 2011, up 15.2%. During this same period, job applications were around 234,046 against 282,456 during the same period of the previous year.
Vacancies have reached, for their part, 54,364 against 50,406. The unemployment rate also fell from 18.9% in the fourth quarter 2011 to 18.1% during the first quarter of 2012.
