(Ecofin Agency) - The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced in a statement released on Nov 2 that it has granted Tunisia a €180 million loan to regional disparities. The loan which is part of the Programme d’appui au développement regional inclusive (PADRI) will help stimulate regional development in the 16 major governorates by promoting investment, social inclusion and local governance.

PADRI aims to make major governorates more attractive, by reviving public investment and implementation. It will also help promote employment of youth and improve living standards of populations, through the development of human capital.

“The programme will help increase public investment from 64.4% (2011-2015) to 70% in the 16 major governorates, over the next five years. It will also help capture private investment and improve implementation skills and social inclusion in these regions,” said interim-director of Human development division AfDB, Sunita Pitamber.

PADRI will equally help bring down the ratio of poor people from 1/6 in 2015 to 1/10 in 2021.

Major governorates concerned here are Jendouba, Kasserine, Kairouan, Siliana, Sidi Bouzid, Kef Tataouine, Béja, Gafsa, Médenine, Mahdia, Gabes, Kebili, Zagouan, Tozeur and Bizerte.