Latest news with #Marouani
African Manager
18-03-2025
- Business
- African Manager
80% of online sales transactions escape state control!
The booming e-commerce activity on social media in Tunisia has opened the door wide to scams and fraud. While several pages have built a reputation for reliability by often delivering products that match their descriptions, others have opted for easy gains. Online, numerous groups have been created by internet users to expose scams and fraudulent schemes frequently encountered on social media, particularly on Facebook, the most widely used platform in Tunisia, with 7,625,400 local users, representing 64% of the country's internet users. Scammers use social media to sell dubious products. They lure customers with deceptive advertising messages promising wonders. However, once the consumer falls into their trap, they quickly realize the truth. Call for regulation of online marketing and promotion MP Olfa Marouani stated that 88 of her colleagues in the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) have submitted Proposal Law No. 42/2024, which aims to regulate marketing and promotional activities on websites and social media platforms. Speaking on Express FM, she explained that the main motivation behind this proposal is the awareness of the risks associated with these transactions, which pose a direct threat to individuals, businesses, society, and the state as a whole, as well as a danger to the economy. In 2023, monetary transactions were estimated at 149 million operations, with a value exceeding 25 billion dinars, 80% of which escaped state control and taxation. She added, 'This represents a complete destruction and sabotage of the national economy, while exposing citizens to all forms of fraud and deception, with no guarantees or laws to protect them.' Marouani also highlighted that a recent report from the Consumer Protection Organization indicates that the average Tunisian citizen files five complaints per day and 25 complaints per week, 38% of which are related to social media scams. According to Marouani, this threat endangers citizens' health and even affects education, including private tutoring, with complaints about fake diplomas. The MP clarified that the proposed law includes 49 articles covering all aspects, with protective measures for both sellers and buyers. It is currently under review by the relevant committee and remains open to potential amendments, with consultations planned with experts and discussions with various stakeholders. She recalled that Tunisia was a pioneer in this field with the adoption of Law No. 38 of 2000 on electronic exchanges and commerce, but there have been no updates to keep pace with developments since then. Creation of an economic and electronic monitoring unit! Among the key provisions of the draft law are the creation of a specialized unit for economic and electronic monitoring, the integration of all marketing actors into the digital economy, and the clarification of relationships between sellers, consumers, and delivery service providers. The initiative is not limited to payment but also includes guarantees and after-sales services. The draft law also aims to grant consumers the right to verify products before purchase and to refuse a purchase if they are not satisfied, while imposing penalties on violators. Marouani emphasized that this project is of utmost importance and must be developed through a participatory approach, in consultation with the Ministry of Commerce, the National Chamber of E-Commerce, institutions specialized in the digital economy, and the Ministry of Communication Technologies. She believes that debates will enrich and strengthen this proposal. She also noted that similar experiences exist in other countries, such as Egypt, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, and that regulating this sector is a common practice in most countries worldwide. Finally, she mentioned that another initiative on cybersecurity is currently under review by the relevant committee.
Zawya
19-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Tunisia: Value of investments and investment intentions in tourism in Jendouba exceeds $16mln
Tunisia,Jendouba - The value of tourism investments under construction and investment intentions in Jendouba governorate exceeds TND 400 million, Regional Tourism Commissioner in Tabarka Issa Marouani said. About 1,000 additional jobs are expected to be created over the next few years following the completion of all these tourism projects, he added in an interview with TAP. The investment intentions are at an advanced stage in the preparation of studies and are awaiting licences to begin work, he specified. The official underlined the need to complete these projects, especially since the capacity of the tourist area in Tabarka is still very limited, as it does not exceed 4,321 beds and hopefully it will reach 10,000 beds. He reviewed a number of tourism investments in the field of hotels and residences, such as an integrated resort project consisting of apartments, villas, shops and water games in the Marjan area in Tabarka at a cost of about TND 200 million. Work on this project has achieved about 40% progress and is scheduled to be completed by 2027, he said. Other projects include a five-star hostel with a 100-bed capacity that is 65% complete, and two closed hostels are being reinvested in while others are being sold, the official pointed out. Two closed hotels had been sold by two banks and two others are still awaiting investors, the regional tourism commissioner indicated. The four hotels have been closed since 2011 following the revolution, one of which had been looted and vandalised, he said, adding that one of the reasons for the shutdown is that investors had failed to honour loan repayment commitments made by the banks. A Qatari investor had purchased one of these hotels at a cost of TND 300 million with a capacity of 750 beds and is currently in the process of conducting studies, Marouani explained. A Tunisian-Canadian investor had purchased another hotel for TND 6.5 million, with a capacity of 132 beds. Its refurbishment works are at 98% and it is scheduled to open in May 2025, the official specified. A project of a green hospital in Beni Mtir, consisting of suites at a total cost of TND 16 million, owned by a Tunisian investor, is expected to open partially in 2025, he announced. "The development of tourism activity in Jendouba is inevitably through the stimulation of private investments that take into account the ecological, environmental, cultural, hospital and sports characteristics and utilise them to serve tourism," he stated, adding that the Ministry of Tourism's general orientation is based on the need to create a non-traditional product to diversify and enrich the tourism offer." © Tap 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
