Add to table the first multinational Tunisian

Cranes to loss of sight, embankments and constructions of all kind: on the outskirts of Tunis, there are more sites reflecting the recent influx of foreign investors come here to take advantage of cheap labour and favourable economic conditions. A boom is not the essence of the capital. Land also inside, the Benetton, Kroshu, Sumitomo, Yasaki and another Leoni have been growing plants and fungi. Flanked their dedicated customs, these offshore installations (1) transform the landscape and "live campaigns into small villages with subcontractors", observes an industrialist.

The first French Minister, François Fillon, arrives today (see page 8) in a country worked by a bubbling Recalling that of the new members of the European Union. Like them, the Tunisia was able to take advantage of its stowage in Europe, which resulted, on January 1, 2008, by the dismantling of its tariffs with the EU on industrial products.

South of Tunis, Sagem Communications has "its largest centre of production and global research and development, before the France, the Austria, the Canada and China", explains Eric Faubry, industrial and Logistics Director. Here, the Tunisian Telnet created with Altran a joint venture of R & D, working on behalf of Airbus and Dassault. Mechanical and electrical industries sector is now the first Tunisian export position.

The export-oriented economy

Today, national companies 3,500 more of 10 employees coexist with businesses 2,000 foreign or associated with Tunisians. And there were still, end of 2008, a new French implementation every five days. Add to table the first multinational Tunisian. In the sector of the manufacture of electric cables for automotive, booming here, Coficab introduced plants in the Morocco, the Portugal and Romania: "It accompanies our suppliers where customers where they are." And it consolidates at the same time our positions in Tunisia. "We plan to greatly increase our abilities in 2009," said its President, Hichem Elloumi. The agri-food group Poulina, first capitalisation stock in Tunis and now diversified in construction, metallurgy and packaging materials, him, this is in Algeria, the Morocco, Libya and China. "We have 12 plants under construction in the world." And it builds to the way of the Arab Maghreb Union! ", enthuses CEO, Abdelwaheb Ben Ayed.

The country of jasmine turns, but in his own way and his pace. To the point of ruffled feathers, often, international financial institutions. His credo: a market economy oriented towards export, mullahs a State intervention inspired by the "dragons" in Southeast Asia. "In a country of 10 million inhabitants, where the global purchasing power represents the equivalent of three arrondissements of Paris, we have no other choice that export", said Afif Chelbi, the Minister of industry and energy centralien. As soon as Bourguiba, a development strategy was thought and built by a planner but effective administration. A strong and paternalistic State has thus always combined public policies and impulses to the market. "The authoritarian model made lie the spirit of the process of Barcelona linking democracy and economic growth," said one observer.

"The Tunisia is the only Mediterranean country with economy converge in the long term with the EU", which represents two-thirds of its trade and two-thirds of its investments, is Jacques Ould Aoudia, development economist. Its growth turns with the regularity of a Swiss cuckoo around 5 for decades even in 2008! , its budget deficit does not exceed 3 of GDP, its demographic transition has begun earlier than elsewhere in the region, the rate of students in higher education is equal to that of the France, and the country comes to the 32nd in the world of the Davos Forum global competitiveness index, good first of all Mediterranean and African countries.

Industrial mesh

Customs opening with Europe will be appointed to the Tunisia test size of its adaptive capacity. It is made without drama. "This dismantling has played the role of catalyst," said Afif Chelbi. Supported early by the State, the manufacturing (textile, mechanical...) have committed their "upgrade" by combining their strengths to gain in efficiency and productivity. Quality and cost of labour (10 times less than in France, and 25 less than in Romania for a manual, 5 times less for an engineer), reactivity and geographical proximity can almost instantly obey the diktat of the modes and adjust the lines to developments in consumption in Europe. "In Tunisia, delivery times have become a real obsession!", fun a freight forwarder.

Between 1995 and 2007, the Tunisian exports to the EU were multiplied by four. With the offshore sector, a subtle industrial mesh is even rise: "as automakers, we pushed a dozen suppliers to locate here." "Lack us of metal parts for decoders, and we count on the arrival of aviation to address this problem," says one in Sagem. Zodiac Tunisia, in the campaign of Cap Bon of the components of aircraft, helicopters, rockets and satellites, participates in the all-new Gitas (grouping of the Tunisian industrial space and aeronautics), which brings together some twenty companies in a sector which is now starting Airbus. "We would like to create share of testing, measuring or training centres". "An industrial fabric is formed, we're going towards more integration", said its Director General, Gaby Lopez.

In the corridors of the ministries, in Tunis, was aware of the good student of Europe. Speak of it as if it was part... The medal has its setbacks. "The Tunisian model was ahead, but it is now late compared to its neighbours", means often in the capital. All eyes turn to the Morocco, become the true competitor. Interesting crossed destinies... "After independence, the urgency of the feudal Morocco was to build a national State, no economic development." For the Tunisia, who enjoyed social balances, of an enlightened elite and a modernist administration, it was the contrary. She could embark on economic reforms. "But today, it is less ambitious in Tunis and Rabat, because the Tunisia must defend the interests of an emerging and middle class that does not exist in the Morocco," says a diplomat. "The watchword here is"no slippage!"." "Ben Ali, who wants to keep, plays the caution," says a journalist.

Difficult in these conditions, pushing capitalism remained very family, taking little risk and made very hesitant by close business of power. Risky, also, to standardize a banking sector seen as a lever of voluntarism or liberalize distribution and services. In Tunisia, the term "competition" is sometimes invent... "No wonder that the image"textile-beaches-low-cost"sticks to the country", noted one observer.

It should not be that Tunis is the inverse of the Hare in the fable: be left point, but never accelerate by an abundance of caution, while the Morocco well out ruthlessly. So there is urgency. Despite the growth, the unemployment rate is taped long 14, a good half of the "educated unemployed".

Find a new lease on life

Dramatically resigned on the question of political opening, the Tunisians unemployed youth are burned by the sense of economic injustice. The Government is aware. While, as the edge a journalist, "three quarters of exports revolve around four types of products to four European countries", the 11th plan (2007-2011) puts forward new industries: Chemistry, pharmacy, agri-food, technologies of information and communication, the knowledge economy and, particularly, services. A field containing "enormous potential" for the Tunisia, the World Bank. The country hopes thus raise a supervision rate still ridiculously low, absorb unemployment, win in competitiveness and give a second wind to its expansion. And some take to dream: "today, the Tunisian income per capita represents 32 of the average level of the OECD, note Abdelhamid Triki, State Secretary to the Minister of development and economic cooperation. Our goal is to reach 46 in 2011, 60 in 2016 and 100 in 2030. We want to converge!