VZCZCXRO2923
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTU #1469/02 3131243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091243Z NOV 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4087
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0940
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 7560
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1380
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0918
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1849
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 8452
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0151
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 4146
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 TUNIS 001469
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG (HARRIS)
STATE PASS USTR (BURKHEAD) AND USAID (MCCLOUD)
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/ONE (NATHAN MASON), ADVOCACY CTR (JAMES), AND CLDP
(TEJTEL)
CASABLANCA FOR FCS (ORTIZ)
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD SENV EFIN BEXP ENRG TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIA ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
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* Missing Section 001 *
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TUNIS 00001469 002 OF 002
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WEF Ranks Tunisia First in Africa
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7. (U) According to the World Economic Forum's 2007 Global
Competitiveness Index, Tunisia ranks 32nd overall and first among
the countries of Africa and third in the Middle East. This
represents a slight drop over Tunisia's 2006 ranking as the 30th
most competitive economy in the world (Ref D). In the Middle East,
Tunisia ranks below Kuwait (30) and Qatar (31), but is ranked much
more highly than Morocco (64) and Algeria (81).
8. (SBU) Comment: While the ranking has been touted by the GOT and
in the local press, many foreign and Tunisian businessmen argue that
this ranking is not an accurate reflection of Tunisia's
competitiveness. The rates for foreign and domestic investment (Ref
A) indicate that many investors do not share the WEF's assessment.
End Comment.
GODEC