Tunisia seeks to establish legal framework to regulate Islamic economy

“The Tunisian Government will seek to establish a legal framework to regulate the Islamic economy in Tunisia,” said, Monday, Interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, adding that the country plans to become “a regional centre of Islamic finance.”
 Speaking at the opening of the first Forum on “Islamic Economy,” held in Gammarth, Mr. Hamadi Jebali also said “Tunisia needs 35 to 45 billion dollars in financing in the next five years to carry out its development projects. 
Islamic banks, at the forefront of which the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), can provide part of these funds, he indicated.
IDB President Ahmed Mohamed Ali said the Bank wishes to see the Tunisian private sector play a more significant role in implementation of the bank’s projects in Tunisia and Africa.
Since its inception in 1975, The IDB has allocated 3.13 billion dollars for the realization of development projects in Tunisia in the sectors of energy, water distribution, sanitation, education, health, exports insurance…
The French Development Agency (AFD) had recently suggested to the IDB drawing up a micro-finance program in Tunisia,” he said.