Development Plan 2016-2020 - Volume I: General Content.

This 2016–2020 Development Plan, Tunisia's first for the Second Republic, is a nationwide multisectoral document aligning with the country's new Vision as outlined in the guiding document of the Plan. It aims to establish a new development model capable of stimulating economic activity, improving productivity and economic efficiency indicators, and generating wealth, thereby enhancing Tunisia's economic and social standing. This model focuses on an advanced economic structure, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth based on principles of fairness and equitable distribution of development benefits across society. It includes innovative strategies for regional development, sustainable development, and employment, aiming to establish good governance practices at all levels to ensure social peace and enhance the effectiveness of public policies.
The Plan is divided into three parts: overall, regional, and sectoral, detailing the policies and programs to be implemented over the next five years to achieve national, sectoral, and regional goals. It also outlines the roles, responsibilities, and necessary indicators for monitoring implementation. Key reforms accompanying the development efforts include good governance, administrative modernization, anti-corruption measures, and improvements to the business climate to stimulate private investment and support exports. Additionally, significant reforms in educational and social policies will take place. Sustainable development reforms aim to better utilize territorial spaces, conserve natural resources, and monitor sustainable development indicators. Proposed regional development reforms focus on establishing new governance, developing appropriate regional financing systems to promote decentralization, and fostering internal regional development through positive discrimination principles. This will involve using scientific and objective indicators for investment distribution and specific project approvals. Strategically, the guiding document's directives formed the basis for the Plan's development, also considering achievements from 2015 and growth prospects for 2016.
The growth model proposed by the Plan aims to (i) significantly increase economic growth, reduce the unemployment rate, and lower poverty to its minimum. This will be achieved by creating a more balanced growth structure, particularly by enhancing the contributions of exports, total investment, and productivity. The model adopts effective economic policies to integrate into the global value chain and set the national economy on a path of inclusive and sustainable growth, with strong support for the social and solidarity economy as a complementary sector to the state and private sector. The approach emphasizes (i) innovation and renewal to boost national competitiveness; (ii) increasing the efficiency of research and innovation systems; (iii) enhancing the ability of institutions to absorb modern technologies. Efforts will focus on formulating appropriate sectoral policies and strategies to diversify the economy, modernize traditional sectors, and support new, high-knowledge sectors that employ specialized workers. The Plan also aims to (ii) gradually restore financial stability without increasing the debt ratio, ensuring financial sustainability through more efficient financial policies and mobilizing appropriate financing resources. The plan includes stimulating reforms, both ongoing and new structural reforms. Initially, the growth rate will be stabilized, then raised beyond the economy's potential growth rate starting in 2018, improving the standard of living and achieving social welfare.
The Plan identifies and analyses the following sources of development (i) production; (ii) investment; (iii) consumption; (iv) foreign exchanges; (v) employment; (vi) competitiveness; (vii) inflation.