The Cabinet meeting was held, on Wednesday, under chairmanship of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.
At the opening of works, the meeting looked at a draft law providing for approval of the five-year Plan 2010-2014.
This Plan, which represents a framework to materialise the presidential programme “Together We Meet Challenges” for the current period, aims at deepening structural reforms to impart more efficiency on it and improve overall productivity in such a manner as to strengthen the national economy’s competitive edge as part of a forward-looking vision that takes into account care to guarantee to the future generations the essential development factors.
It is particularly meant to achieve a rate of growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) equal to 5.5% at constant prices, which is to help increase the per-capita income to nearly 8,300 dinars in 2014 and meet all the additional job demands, while prioritising university graduates. The Plan also aims to stimulate the rate of investment, increase the share of GDP by 26% in 2014 and carry on reducing external debt.
Given the importance of the economic security in enhancing the homeland’s invulnerability and preserving the citizens’ vital interests, the meeting examined a draft law completing the provisions of Article 61 a of the Penal Code, by adding measures the terms of which will be sanctioned any Tunisian who establishes deliberately contacts with foreign sides instigating to harm Tunisia’s vital interests. And the country’s vital interests are anything that has to do with its economic security.
This bill is part of bolstering efforts to protect the foundations of economic security in the context of the changes experienced by the world which imply the preservation of Tunisia’s vital interests against any form of violation, as is the case for the laws in a number of states.
President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali stressed that the protection of Tunisia’s vital interests against any harm or violation is a national responsibility which is dictated on all Tunisians, given the evolution experienced by the world which have consecrated the economic dimension as a key priority in strengthening the bases of stability and invulnerability.
The meeting listened to an exposé on the progress of the indicators of the domestic and external trade, which pointed up the efforts exerted to ensure regular supply of the market by relying essentially on national production and by carrying on the policy of constituting regulating stocks which have recorded a strong progress, ahead of the coming high- consumption periods.
Regarding foreign exchanges, exports have recorded a climbing pace since the beginning of the year, reaching 15.9% by the end of last April, compared with 6.8% in January 2010.
President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali recommended to re- double efforts with a view to further controlling prices during the high-consumption seasons in order to preserve the citizen’s buying power.
At the end of the meeting, the Cabinet listened to a briefing on organic farming which took stock of activities held during the Organic Week, organised on May 10-16 under the high auspices of the President of the Republic.
That event included a national symposium which notably looked at the sector’s state of affairs and the objectives set for the coming period, the incentives and encouragements system devised for investments in this area, as well as the promising prospects for the diversification and valorisation of production, and its marketing, both at home and abroad.
