Premier Najla Bouden and senior government officials met Friday with a World Bank delegation led by Resident Representative in Tunisia Alexandre Arrobio.

This is the first meeting following the announcement by WB President David Malpass of a pause in the Country Partnership Framework over statements on migrants from African countries.

The WB delegation mainly included Manager in Education Global Practice Andreas Blom, Programme Leader, Human Development, Fadila Caillaud and Education Specialist Himdat Iqbal Bayusuf.

Education Minister Mohamed Ali Boughdiri, Minister of Economy and Planning Samir Said, Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Moncef Boukthir and Minister of Family, Women, Children and the Elderly Amel Moussa attended the meeting.

The WB delegation outlined the preliminary findings of a study on the foundations of the human capital in Tunisia, the Prime Ministry said in a press release issued on Friday evening.

Issues in connection to the valorisation of the human capital and the efforts made by the State to support pre-school as well as basic and secondary school education, higher education and vocational training were discussed.

Emphasis was likewise laid on the importance of the higher council of education and its role in ensuring the effectiveness of policies.

The Prime Minister highlighted the major importance lent to the human capital in the 2023/2025 development plan as an engine for the knowledge-based economy and the country’s strategic guidelines.

Bouden also shed light on a project to set up in Tataouine an African integrated excellence centre in renewable energies which, she said, was presented as part of the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8) held last August in Tunisia.

The project, which fits within the energy strategy by 2035, will make it possible to train experts in the service of Tunisia and the African continent, considering human resource needs in renewables.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse