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Tunisia’s ‘parallel economy’ costs the country $2 billion annually

June 16, 2017 at 12:11 pm

Tunisian dinars [Rusty Clark/Flickr]

A member of the Nidaa Tounes Party’s political committee has said that resisting corruption in Tunisia has to include reducing the “parallel economy” and drying up the sources of smuggling. Mohsen Hassan pointed out that such practices, like all unofficial economies, are costing the state an estimated $2 billion a year.

He made his comments during a forum organised by the party to discuss the parallel economy and possible solutions to eradicate it. Hassan said that Nidaa Tounes is backing the Carthage Declaration and the war against corruption; the declaration lists combatting corruption as one of its priorities.

The party forum was held after the visit made by Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed to Port La Goulette and his announcement of several measures to cleanse state institutions of corruption and enforce measures to combat smuggling.

Read: Tunisian president meets prime minister to discuss social, economic situation

Youssef Chahed, Tunisia's Prime Minister addressing the Tunisian parliament on 26 August 2016 [file photo]

Youssef Chahed, Tunisia’s Prime Minister addressing the Tunisian parliament on 26 August 2016 [file photo]