Tunisia

Despite their significant presence in the Tunisian economy, SMEs continue to face difficulties in financing their development. Aware of these challenges, the authorities are looking to provide SMEs with alternative sources of financing outside of the banking sector, which has been limited in its ability to finance such enterprises. To this end...

Historically dominated by the motor segment, the sector is now aiming to further develop its varied products and distribution channels, particularly life insurance, takaful (Islamic insurance), bancassurance and micro-insurance, with the goal of doubling its GDP contribution to 4% between 2017 and 2022.

The Tunis Stock Exchange (Bourse des Valeurs Mobilières de Tunis, BVMT) is the local stock market, and although it was originally established in 1969 as a public entity, it has been a private entity since 1994, jointly and equally owned by 23 brokerage firms.

While Tunisia has faced weak economic growth and high inflation in recent years, the country’s stock market continued to grow over the 2016-17 period, even though its contribution to private investment financing remains relatively modest compared to that of the banking sector. Measures to deepen the market, however, are under way, aiming to...