Latest news with #Nouri
African Manager
19-05-2025
- Business
- African Manager
Tunisia: Central Bank launches new Currency Museum website
The Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) has officially launched the new website of its Currency Museum, accessible at ( The unveiling coincides with International Museum Day (May 18, 2025) and marks the conclusion of Heritage Month (April 18–May 18). The BCT highlighted that an information session was held to introduce the website's key features, including a virtual tour of the museum and an online store for purchasing commemorative items In a statement published on the BCT's platform, Governor Fethi Zouhaier Nouri emphasized that 'this modern digital platform offers visitors, both in Tunisia and abroad, the chance to explore Tunisia's monetary history through interactive and visual content. It showcases rare collections of coins and banknotes that reflect Tunisia's economic and cultural heritage, as well as the imprint of ancient civilizations that have shaped out nation over centuries.' Governor Nouri underscored the museum's commitment to fostering collaboration with researchers to advance scientific research and knowledge exchange, safeguard collective memory and national history and preserve this legacy for future generations. He added: 'This initiative reaffirms technology's growing role in cultural dissemination and heritage accessibility. It also aligns with the BCT's efforts to enhance public engagement and promote financial literacy through innovative, inclusive digital tools.' The Currency Museum serves as a window into the evolution of Tunisian currency, reflecting the civilizations that have influenced the country's history and the interplay between national identity and economic heritage.
NZ Herald
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Kurdish-Kiwi singer Nouri on her journey from refugee to rising through the Gospel charts
Now, her emotional pop music and gospel-like vocals are making waves across the globe, leading to features in Hollywood films and chart-reaching success. 'I was born in a Syrian refugee camp. My family had fled Iraq at the time and ended up in Syria, that's where me and my younger sister were born,' she tells the Herald. 'I don't remember struggling, but my mum tells us stories, and you're just shocked by the number of things that happened, what she had to kind of go through raising four children at the time, now six. She's just an amazing woman, and I don't know how she does it'. Asylum in New Zealand at age 3 brought with it many challenges, but also many opportunities and hope. Nouri got her start entering Talent Quest competitions, supported by her sisters who championed her vocal abilities. 'My sisters would be like 'you can sing' and I'm like yeah but you're my sisters, I don't know if you're actually telling me the truth! 'I just kept practising and my love for it just kept growing'. Her hit single Where Do We Go From Here saw Nouri gain widespread recognition in 2018, and she says much of the inspiration for that song came from learning the highs and lows of love. 'Everything that's kind of happened within my career has just been based off of a feeling. It's just personal experiences'. Her song Change In Your Name also reached No. 4 on Billboard's Gospel Digital Chart and led to numerous opportunities to perform and record overseas. Splitting her time now between NZ and places like Los Angeles and Dubai, Nouri recounts days in her early career when she was at times sleeping in a car while pursuing jobs. 'I ended up going to LA with every single last penny that I had'. And while she is grateful for the opportunities other countries have provided, her adopted home of New Zealand and its thriving music scene hold a special place in her heart. ' Six60 actually gave me my first performing opportunity when I was in New Zealand a couple of years back. The people here are just amazing'. Taking a moment to reflect on her growth, Nouri tells the Herald about her desire to give back to her ancestral homeland through her music and speaks of the impact she's already witnessed. Advertise with NZME. 'The refugee camp that I was born in sent me a video of children singing one of my songs. They were so happy, it was just surreal. That changed everything for me, and it's so much bigger than music for me,' she recalls. 'I just want to be able to give kids who were in my position the hope and the reality that you can actually do it, despite where you come from and despite the circumstances you might be in'. With an EP/album in the works, she says she's excited about the future and hopes to stay in Aotearoa for a while as she continues to refine her craft and utilise her wide contact book. But after all these trials, tribulations, and triumphs, what is Nouri's advice for weathering tough times? Gratitude and perseverance. 'I'm a firm believer in God. Even on my worst days, I'm so grateful to even have a bad day, because I'm alive. I have plenty of bad days in LA, but I'm just like, wow, I'm in LA,' she says. 'Our family were kind of problem solvers as well. There was never anything that we couldn't figure out, and it was just about getting on with it and knowing that God is on your side and that he got us here in the first place'.
African Manager
07-04-2025
- Business
- African Manager
'An outrage to the institution on Hedi Nouira Street'
In a long-anticipated decision, the Board of Directors of Tunisia's Central Bank (BCT) has lowered its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 7.5%. The stated goal: to revive a stagnant economy plagued by sluggish growth and weakened domestic demand. The less visible aim: to smooth tensions through a decision more political than economic or financial! Balancing the urgency of immediate growth with the need for long-term stability, the BCT is walking a tightrope. Every forward step risks a steep fall if structural reforms, heavily emphasized in February 2025, fail to materialize. In short, this bold gamble risks becoming a cure worse than the disease. BCT warned of 'strained liquidity' and 'vulnerable banks' First, some context. Between the pre-Eid week (featuring a meeting between Governor Nouri and President Saïed) and the last week of March (marked by a cabinet meeting on legislation governing the BCT), this decision was closely watched, even expected. Only the percentage cut remained in question. Now confirmed, the move raises concerns—especially given the BCT's February 2025 warning about over-reliance on domestic financing for the Treasury, citing strained liquidity and a fragile banking system. By easing monetary policy, this rate cut could worsen these vulnerabilities. Other critical risks loom, including threats to the BCT's core mandates: price stability and foreign exchange reserves. Despite reserves recently surpassing 100 days of imports (101 days as of March 25), they remain under pressure and could further erode if foreign currency demand rises. Meanwhile, looser monetary policy risks reigniting inflation. The specter of political interference? Political pressures also cast a shadow. With the Treasury desperate for funds, the BCT appears to yield to short-term budget support demands under the 2025 Finance Law. This compromises its operational independence and credibility. Recall the BCT's February 2025 statement, which urged structural reforms over monetary quick fixes. The message was clear—yet ignored. While the rate cut may offer short-term economic relief, it exposes Tunisia to deeper financial imbalances. Between stimulus and stability, the BCT's move reeks of political maneuvering, a 'perilous game.' Local media reported last Tuesday that a 'verbal agreement' was struck between the President and the BCT Governor to gradually loosen monetary policy. Though unconfirmed, the BCT's decision tacitly endorses this narrative. Timing is also suspect. The BCT's Board could have waited until after Eid, allowing time for reflection and the release of consumer price data by the National Statistics Institute. But with Ramadan and Eid spending looming, the decision's timing seems politically, not economically, driven. Monetary easing vs. inflation risks While lower rates may boost credit access for businesses and households, they risk exacerbating financial instability. A lenient policy could further strain banks already grappling with non-performing loans, especially if borrowers—emboldened by lower rates and potential amnesty for bounced checks—default. Moreover, monetary easing could stoke inflation as import prices remain sensitive to dinar fluctuations. The dinar, already pressured by dwindling reserves, relies heavily on BCT interventions. Add to this the danger of eroded investor confidence, which could deter foreign capital crucial for recovery. The BCT's Defense In its official statement, the BCT justified the decision: 'Recent inflation trends have lowered inflation projections. However, wage hikes in both public and private sectors may raise production costs and spur demand amid stagnant capacity—worsened by persistent drought and slow reforms. Annual inflation is expected to drop from 7% in 2024 to 5.3% in 2025. Risks remain, including global commodity prices, demand dynamics, and fiscal imbalances. After deliberation, the Board concluded that disinflation has progressed sufficiently. Reducing the key rate to 7.5% reflects our commitment to price stability while supporting growth. We remain vigilant amid rising uncertainties.' An expert's blunt take Professor Hachemi Alaya, in his March 30, 2025 'EcoWeek' column, argues that what has been decided is 'an outrage against the institution on Hedi Nouira Street', that 'Tunisian inflation is far from being disarmed', that there is confusion among Tunisian economic and monetary decision-makers because 'access to finance is not reduced to cost.' 'I have gone through all the studies and reports on the obstacles to investment in Tunisia, but nowhere have I found the high level of interest rate,' he pointed out. For Professor Alaya, the saving grace lies in 'the urgent need for Tunisia to understand that printing money does not create wealth (otherwise there would have been no poor people a long time ago), to limit, if not prohibit, the subscription of Treasury bills by the central bank and commercial banks, and to make the public sector (STB-BNA-BH) a pole dedicated almost exclusively to financing investment'. For their part, some experts have no hesitation in recommending that the BCT and the banks set up a system of removable interest rates by sector of activity to target those they wish to boost by facilitating access to credit. Such facilitation would then be selective, depending on the economic choices made by the State (for example, investment or consumption, and the criteria could even be refined), and would avoid a generalized impact on inflation!
Shafaq News
27-01-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Kirkuk to embrace clean energy, three companies to build two power plants in Hawija
2025-01-27T17:39:18+00:00 Shafaq News/ A two two solar power plants with a combined capacity of 500 megawatts are set to be established in Kirkuk Governorate, in a step that address a significant portion of the electricity shortage in the region. Mufaq Nouri, the director of Rashad sub-district in the governorate, told Shafaq News that three companies will implement the project: the Emirati Al-Masdar, the French Total, and the Chinese Iwan. According to Nouri, the Rashad plant will produce 250 megawatts, as will the Tal Al-Dahab plant in the Hawija district southwest of Kirkuk. "Both plants will rely on solar panels as part of the Ministry of Electricity's projects," he added. Leila Abdulhadi Ali, head of the Renewable Energy Committee for the northern region, visited the sites of the two plants today to conduct the necessary spatial inspections. Nouri explained that Hatim Al-Asi donated the land for the construction of the Rashad plant, which will produce electricity specifically for Kirkuk. It will be connected to the 132 kV line, then to the 33 kV line, and finally to the 11 kV transformer. He emphasized that "Kirkuk is one of the first provinces to implement these projects. The Tal Al-Dahab plant is expected to be operational in about a month, and the Rashad plant is in the process of being awarded to companies after completing all necessary surveys." He noted that these projects are part of the Iraqi government's efforts to rely on clean, renewable energy and reduce dependence on gas-fired plants. Nouri also highlighted that "these plants will be investment projects for electricity generation, with power sold to the Ministry of Electricity at a rate of $65 per megawatt. This will contribute significantly to alleviating the electricity crisis in Kirkuk and across Iraq."
