The Rebirth: Tunisia’s potential development pathways to 2040

The report concludes that Tunisia's economic potential is currently stagnated by a protective regulatory environment, corruption, and a large informal economy. To unlock growth, the authors argue for comprehensive reforms including opening the economy to competition, reforming labour policies to address inequality, improving education quality, and implementing strategies for water management and food security to mitigate climate change impacts.

• Tunisia's economic growth is hindered by a protective regulatory environment, the dominance of state-owned enterprises, corruption, and an inefficient agricultural system, which collectively limit productivity.
• A significant portion of the domestic market relies on illegal imports due to high taxes and poor regulations, contributing to a large shadow economy and smuggling, particularly in southern border towns like Ben Guerdane.
• To attract foreign direct investment and reduce poverty, Tunisia must implement business regulation that fosters competition, increases economic freedom, improves education, and removes energy and other subsidies.
• Tunisia faces critical water stress and future water-related challenges driven by climate change, necessitating efficient water use at both household and industrial levels.
• Improving food security requires a policy that supports the agricultural sector through investments in hard and soft infrastructure, such as transport systems, access to finance, and land ownership.

APA

Cilliers, J., & Kwasi, S. (2022). The Rebirth: Tunisia’s potential development pathways to 2040. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/special-reports/guide.pdf?report=country/tunisia&topic=14-conclusion

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie, and Stellah Kwasi. The Rebirth: Tunisia’s potential development pathways to 2040. Institute for Security Studies, 2022. https://futures.issafrica.org/special-reports/guide.pdf?report=country/tunisia&topic=14-conclusion.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |last2=Kwasi |first2=Stellah |title=The Rebirth: Tunisia’s potential development pathways to 2040 |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=24 June 2022 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/special-reports/guide.pdf?report=country/tunisia&topic=14-conclusion |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers2022rebirth, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie and Kwasi, Stellah}, title = {{The Rebirth: Tunisia’s potential development pathways to 2040}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/special-reports/guide.pdf?report=country/tunisia&topic=14-conclusion}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }