Tunisia has a tax burden of more than 20% of GDP, considered the highest in the Arab region and with a score of 74.4%, well below the world average (77.2%), according to a document from the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) released on Tuesday.
Tunisia ranks among the Arab countries where tax burden is very high just like Djibouti, Mauritania and Algeria, according to the 9th Policy Brief dedicated to tax burden in the Arab region posted on its website.
Oil countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and Kuwait have scores above world average (77.2%), i.e., less tax charges, reads the same document.
Egypt, Jordan, Mauritius and Lebanon are in a second group, with tax burdens ranging from 14 to 18% of GDP. As for Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Emirates, they are placed in the third group whose tax burdens are less than 9% of GDP.
In Arab countries, particularly in Tunisia, income taxes account for 72% of tax revenues.
Tunisia has granted tax benefits, particularly tax exemptions for foreign companies and reduced corporate income taxes from 35% to 25%, the AMF said.
