Improved taxation systems key to reducing Libya's dependence on oil revenues
'This training has been an opportunity for our team to share with Libya its extensive experience in building and sustaining sound tax systems to support economic development and improve public revenue,' said Adam Elhiraika, Director of the ECA Office for North Africa. 'It also allowed us to contribute to the promotion of South-South cooperation between our member countries thanks to the valuable contributions of trainers provided by the Egyptian Taxation Administration,' he added.
The training brought together senior managers, supervisors, and IT personnel involved in the development and implementation of e-taxation systems in Libya. Participants enhanced their skills in areas such as taxpayer registration, electronic filing, return processing, and data analytics, with special attention to the needs of large taxpayers. The training also deepened their understanding of international best practices in e-taxation and the legal, organizational, and technical requirements for a successful digital transformation of tax operations.
Libya's economy currently remains highly dependent on oil production, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in production levels and global oil prices. These disruptions can have significant impacts on government revenues when they happen.
To address this issue, the Libyan government has been working to diversify public revenues and reduce the national economy's reliance on hydrocarbons by increasing tax collections and promoting non-oil exports. However, tax revenue mobilization has remained weak so far due to issues such as widespread tax evasion, a narrow tax base, and low levels of taxpayer compliance.
This initiative comes in support to the Libyan Tax Authority 2021 strategy which aims to modernize income tax administration and advance the digital transformation of tax processes alongside reforms in legislation, institutional structure, infrastructure, and human resources.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
Tunis and Rome: A partnership of opportunity in trade, energy and skills
Tunis - A few days after the visit of the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, to Tunisia, statements were issued regarding economic cooperation between the two countries for the first five months of the current year. These statements highlighted the existence of trade cooperation that benefits Tunisia. However, observers believe that, alongside this cooperation, both countries possessed negotiating power that enabled the discussion of many important issues, foremost among them irregular migration and the utilisation of energy surpluses. Not far from these relations heading toward development, through exchanges of visits at the highest levels, circles of finance and business, such as the Confederation of Tunisian Citizen Enterprises CONECT, believe that there is an opportunity to plan in order to benefit from the climate of understanding with the Italian side to push forward the wheel of investment, whether by attracting joint investments or exploring new prospects for multilateral cooperation. Trade and investment: fuel for traditional cooperation Trade between Tunisia and Italy in 2025 witnessed a notable improvement, with total exchanges reaching 10,452.3 million dinars. Tunisia's exports to Italy during the first half of this year amounted to 5,575.6 million dinars compared to imports of 4,876.8 million dinars. These figures made, according to Anis Basti, head of the Export Promotion Centre office in Milan (Italy), the Tunisian Italian trade balance positive in favour of Tunisia, as the coverage rate of exports over imports during the first five months of this year reached 115%. However, Tunisia's imports from Italy are not final or luxury products but essential raw materials, particularly for the industrial and agricultural sectors. These include petroleum products, fabrics, leather, and agricultural machinery, according to the representative of the Export House in Milan. Tunisia supplies the Italian market with mechanical and electrical industries (electric car cables, medical devices, electricity meters, and electrical equipment), accounting for 36.5%. Tunisian textiles reach the Italian market at a rate of 21.22%, in addition to a list of other diverse industries such as plastic products, hydrocarbons, medical machines, inorganic chemicals, glass and its products, furniture, and ceramics—at a rate of 19.1%. Italy, the land of fashion, continues to import leather and footwear from Tunisia at a rate of 11.3%, as well as food industries. Despite ranking among the top producers of olive oil, Italy imports significant quantities of olive oil, fish, shellfish, dates, dried tomatoes, and fresh vegetables from Tunisia at a rate of 11.7%. These important figures prompt the Export Promotion Centre in Milan to make greater efforts to develop trade exchanges between Tunisia and Italy and strengthen the presence of various Tunisian products in this market, according to Basti. The representatives work on identifying export opportunities available for Tunisian exporters and providing support, guidance, and proper coaching for exporting companies. This is done by supplying market-specific information about the Italian market, the materials it imports, organizing exploratory visits, participating in specialised exhibitions and trade fairs, and conducting evaluations and follow-ups based on market changes to keep economic actors informed and adaptable. According to Basti, the Italian authorities attach great importance to Tunisia at all levels, especially economically, by strengthening the economic partnership with Tunisia in particular and African countries in general, especially in the fields of energy, startups, artificial intelligence, and agriculture. Tunisian-Italian relations have developed into a strategic partnership, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war, as Italy has started focusing more on Euro-Mediterranean partners rather than Asian ones. Basti sees the partnership between Tunisia and Italy as part of a sustainable cooperation dynamic that has been established over decades to support social and economic development in Tunisia. The private sector: All roads lead to Rome The Confederation of Tunisian Citizen Enterprises, CONECT, which represents a wide range of investors and businesspeople in Tunisia, considers, through its member Bilal Ben Hamida, that Italy remains a strategic partner for Tunisia. Businessmen affiliated with the confederation give great importance to the Italian market, both in terms of ongoing cooperation based on goods exchange and investment involving funding joint or multilateral projects, according to the CONECT representative. In its efforts to focus on the Italian market, CONECT is organising a mission of business owners to Italy to participate in the international fair in Rimini next October. As part of the Tunisia–Italy cooperation agenda, CONECT International is also planning to organise an investment forum in Tunisia in partnership with the Italian employers' organisation. The CONECT representative emphasised the importance of the Italian governmental visits to Tunisia, which reflect Italy's interest, noting that Italy is Tunisia's main supplier and second-largest exporter. The volume of bilateral trade between the two countries amounts to about €7.1 billion, according to data from the Italian Embassy in Tunis. Italy is also the second-largest foreign investor in Tunisia, with its investments accounting for 16% of foreign capital in the local market. Tunisia hosts around 1,000 Italian companies operating in various sectors, employing around 83,000 people. The national business environment and investment opportunities available for Italian investors have contributed to reinforcing this cooperation amid Tunisia's growing interest in attracting more Italian investment. Vocational training: A legal transit visa In an effort to curb irregular migration, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation signed, on June 21, 2025, a financing agreement worth €6.5 million to launch the 'Professional Tunisia – Promoting Employment in Tunisia through Dynamic Vocational Training' project. The project aims to strengthen youth employability in Tunisia, a recurring topic in negotiations between Tunisian and Italian officials, in an attempt to regulate labour migration legally and establish an effective approach to skilled migration. Funded entirely by the Italian government and running over three years, the project seeks to enhance the employability of Tunisian youth by modernising and revitalising the national vocational training system. It will focus on improving the quality of vocational training, making it more accessible and aligned with labour market demands, especially for youth and women. The project will also support the modernisation of training centres, introduce innovative pedagogical methods, and strengthen public-private partnerships. According to the Italian ambassador to Tunisia, the project reflects his government's commitment to supporting the vocational training sector in partnership with Tunisian authorities. He noted that this new initiative with UNIDO aligns with the "Mattei Plan for Africa," Tunisia Vision 2035, and national strategies in employment, youth socioeconomic inclusion, and economic development. It will open real and sustainable prospects for Tunisian youth, help form a qualified workforce, and expand opportunities for decent employment. ELMED: A regional project to harness energy surpluses Experts expect the Tunisia–Italy electricity interconnection project, ELMED, scheduled to enter into operation in 2028, to strengthen the stability of electricity supply in Tunisia. This will be achieved through energy transfer between Tunisia and Italy via a high-voltage 400-kilovolt submarine cable with a capacity of 600 megawatts and a length of 200 km, offering Tunisia a major opportunity to export renewable energy to Italy and Europe. It appears that the submarine cable for the ELMED electricity interconnection project between Tunisia and Italy was laid in July. Plans to draw loans are scheduled by the end of 2026 depending on the project's progress, according to data presented by the CEO of STEG, Faysal Tarifa, and his delegation during a hearing before the Finance and Budget Committee of the Assembly of People's Representatives at the end of June 2025. However, the project faces several challenges, including a lack of expertise, which necessitated recourse to foreign consultancy firms and caused some initial delays, in addition to land ownership issues. The officials noted that the project would contribute to developing electricity exchanges across the Mediterranean via a bidirectional 600 MW interconnection. It would also strengthen the stability of the Tunisian electrical system and complement the grid interconnection with Algeria, helping to cope with peak summer demand. ELMED will enhance energy cooperation across the Mediterranean, initiated in 1977 with the TRANSMED natural gas pipeline stretching 2,475 km from Algeria to Italy via Tunisia (370 km). According to the Italian electricity transmission company TERNA, the ELMED project will allow Italy to meet its electricity needs, which reached 31.3 billion kWh by the end of July 2024, a 4.5% increase compared to July 2023. This first direct electrical link between Europe and Africa, undertaken by STEG and its Italian counterpart TERNA, will secure electricity supply by reducing demand during summer peaks amid global warming and climate change, according to the National Chamber of Photovoltaic Energy under the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts. The ELMED project will also offer Tunisia the opportunity to export green energy to Europe. Experts, during a parallel event at the Rimini international exhibition, stressed the need to develop renewable energy on a large scale, modernise electric grids, and invest in storage solutions to ensure the world's access to reliable, secure, and affordable electricity. Tunisian and Italian stakeholders believe that laying the 600 MW high-voltage direct current submarine cable from the "Partanna" station in Sicily to the "El-Melaab" station in the industrial zone of Menzel Temime (Cap Bon), as part of the ELMED project, will boost the integration of European energy systems in North Africa, promote efficient energy use, and increase the operational flexibility of electric systems. Tunisian–Italian cooperation also includes major projects such as the 'Taranto Innovation Zone,' which aims to achieve energy sustainability between the two countries by launching a platform to foster innovation and interaction between universities, research centres, businesses, and startups. It will serve as a think tank to generate, develop, and test new ideas in the energy field. It will also contribute to developing innovative projects aligned with new technological trends in energy and strengthening a culture of innovation, in addition to making Italian expertise in submarine electricity transmission available to STEG technicians and engineers. Major projects also include 'TANIT,' which aims to modernise Tunisia's agricultural sector, improve water resource management, and boost innovation in the agri-food sector. These major projects, falling within Tunisian–Italian cooperation, represent a significant step in bilateral collaboration, reinforcing Italy's role as a strategic partner for Tunisia on its path toward a resilient and sustainable economy. © Tap 2025 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Khaleej Times
10 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Middle East IT spending to increase almost 9% next year
IT spending in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) is projected to total $169 billion in 2026, an increase of 8.9 per cent from 2025, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. Growth in data center systems spending in Mena is expected to remain strong in 2026, though the pace will ease compared to 2025. Spending is projected to increase 37.3 per cent in 2026, making it the highest-growing IT segment, but at a slower rate than this year as the market shifts from rapid build-out to incremental and sustained investment. Software spending in Mena is expected to grow 13.9 per cent to $20.4 billion in 2026, as organizations accelerate adoption of GenAI capabilities. Gartner predicts that by 2028, 75 per cent of global software spend will be on solutions with GenAI functionality. 'The Mena region is rapidly emerging as a global tech powerhouse, with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leveraging its stability, infrastructure and forward-looking policies to attract global partners and build digital skills that empower innovation and support resilient AI-driven economies,' said Mim Burt, Practice VP at Gartner. 'Even amid global economic and geopolitical uncertainty, chief information officers (CIOs) in Mena are making strategic investments in AI, intelligent automation and multi-cloud strategies, while strengthening cyber defenses and advancing talent upskilling. These efforts are not only driving innovation and economic diversification but also contributing to the region's projected IT spending growth in 2026.' 'Data center system spending is expected to accelerate as Mena CIOs and technology leaders invest in AI-enabled software and AI-optimized infrastructure,' said Eyad Tachwali, VP, Advisory at Gartner. 'This surge is largely fueled by pent-up demand for generative AI (GenAI) and advanced machine learning, which depend on robust computing power for large-scale data processing. Most of this demand is being driven by governments, hyperscalers, technology providers and organizations focused on developing and deploying AI models, rather than traditional enterprises or consumers.' As AI becomes central to innovation, its integration into software and IT services is fundamentally reshaping spending priorities across the region, with IT services spending in Mena projected to grow 8.3 per cent in 2026. 'CIOs will increasingly be offered embedded GenAI capabilities in enterprise applications, productivity and developer tools, more advanced large language models as well as AI-optimized servers to support AI-as-a-service,' said Burt. 'Providers are also exploring new pricing models across software and hardware to drive revenue.' 'With the rapid acceleration of AI infrastructure and adoption in Mena, CIOs must move beyond GenAI as a productivity tool and embed it into the heart of their business strategy,' said Tachwali. 'The real competitive edge will come from building strong data foundations, composable technology platforms and cultivating AI-fluent talent—core enablers for unlocking differentiated value from AI.'
Zawya
11 hours ago
- Zawya
RØDE appoints Lara Sous as MENA Marketing & PR lead
RØDE is proud to announce the appointment of Lara Sous as Marketing & PR Lead for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. With more than 14 years of experience driving marketing strategy and brand growth across the automotive, tech, and creative industries, Lara brings a wealth of regional expertise to the role. Based in Dubai, she will lead RØDE's marketing and communications efforts across the MENA region. Lara joins RØDE following senior roles at Lotus and MG Motor, where she was instrumental in delivering high-impact campaigns, leading brand momentum, and strengthening brand equity across the region. Her leadership at MG earned multiple accolades, including wins at the PRCA MENA and MEPRA Awards. Earlier in her career, she held marketing roles at Audi Volkswagen Middle East and worked agency-side at Ogilvy and Service Plan Group, delivering campaigns across a broad range industries, including technology, tourism, fashion and automotive. 'We're incredibly excited to welcome Lara to the RØDE team,' said Kalinda Atkinson, Sales and Marketing Director at RØDE. 'She brings a rare blend of creative insight, strategic thinking and regional experience that will be vital as we grow our presence across the Middle East. Lara's leadership will be key in amplifying our brand and deepening our engagement with creators throughout the region.' Commenting on her appointment, Lara Sous said, "Joining RØDE marks a new and a significant milestone in my career. It is a globally renowned brand that lives and breathes creativity, quality & culture. As the MENA region continues to thrive with creator energy & tech innovation, I'm excited to help bring RØDE's global mission into the region, to empower and shape how stories, narratives and experiences are heard.' Lara's appointment signals RØDE's continued investment in the fast-growing creator economy across the Middle East. As the region becomes a global hub for innovation, content and culture, RØDE is focused on expanding its local presence and supporting the next generation of storytellers with the best creative tools to amplify their voices.
