(Ecofin Agency) - The Tunisian government plans to award contract for the construction of a digital infrastructure, a keystone in the implementation of the Tunisie Numérique 2020 (Digital Tunisia 2020) project, to a third party company. By proceeding this way, the State aims to preserve telecom operators against risks of duplicates and from unnecessary spending into new sites.

It was during the closed council of ministers (presided by President Habib Essid) held last August 16 that the idea of a third party company, for the construction of the infrastructure and provision of digital equipment, was brought up. During the review of the Tunisie Numérique 2020 project, the modernization of telecom infrastructure was one of the major points on which the Prime Minister insisted, for a successful technological turnaround by Tunisia on its path to socio-economic development.

The Tunisie Numérique 2020 project mainly aims to improve populations’ access to Internet and promotes digital economy in the country. Aware of this, the government, still during the past closed council of ministers considered a possibility to give Tunisia’s three telecom operators the permission to use 4G frequencies to develop 3G services. The Internet of Things which intervenes in sectors like agriculture, health, housing, etc, and which is currently growing in Africa, was also debated by members of the government.

Muriel Edjo