The prime minister of Tunisia, which is struggling with a deep economic crisis, called Saturday for a relaunch of economic cooperation with Libya at the start of a two-day visit. "Our economies complement each other, and what is good for Libya is also good for Tunisia," Mechichi said after landing in the capital of the oil-rich neighbouring country.
He was accompanied by several government ministers and around 100 business leaders expected to take part in a joint economic forum in Tripoli. Ten years since Tunisia's 2011 revolution, the North African country faces political and economic crises compounded by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures.
Unemployment has risen to 18 per cent, with predictions it could reach 20 per cent by the end of the year, according to a joint study by the government and United Nations. The IMF expects the country will see GDP growth of 3.8 per cent this year, after an unprecedented 8.9 percent contraction in 2020. "We will not abandon Tunisia to face alone the effects of the coronavirus pandemic or its political and security situation," said Libya's Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah. - AFP
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