December 2023

Imed Hazgui highlighted the challenges and gaps that hinder the formalization of businesses and workers in the country. He gave an overview of the obstacles that Tunisia must overcome to stimulate economic formality and restore citizens’ confidence in institutions.

Imed Hazgui, president of the High Committee for Administrative and Financial Control, recently exposed the challenges linked to informality in Tunisia during his intervention in a session dedicated to the costs of formality and the organization of markets, held as part of the 37^e edition of the Company Days. Highlighting the need to recognize and obtain precise information on the informal sector, Imed Hazgui highlighted its impact on the formulation and evaluation of public policies. He also revealed the results of a major survey carried out by the ministry on informal employment in Tunisia, affecting 12,000 people.

The findings of this survey highlighted an alarming figure: around 1.8 million Tunisians work informally, covering various sectors, including employees, self-employed workers, employers and even nurses.

This survey served as a basis for revising certain programs and initiatives. Hazgui highlighted the determinants of informality, highlighting factors specific to the self-employed and businesses. Notably, the age of companies was identified as a key element, indicating that older production units are less inclined to formalization. This highlights the importance of early awareness and financial support when starting a business.

Encourage formalization

He also pointed to the lack of awareness, communication and information as major obstacles. The president of the High Committee for Administrative and Financial Control added that many employers trying to formalize their activities did not have access to the necessary resources due to a lack of supervision and adequate information.

Furthermore, he insisted on the crucial role of developing informal businesses and improving the qualifications of entrepreneurs to encourage formalization. In this same context, Hazgui indicated that the approach to formality might not be uniform, calling for the specificities of each sector to be taken into account.

In the political sphere, Hazgui has advocated for major administrative reform, emphasizing the need to fight corruption and increase transparency. He called for an overhaul of administrative engineering, modernization of information systems, improved interoperability and increased transparency.

He also raised concerns regarding Tunisia’s technological lag, calling for rapid reforms to catch up. The latter also expressed his concern regarding legislative delays linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, emphasizing the urgency of rapid action to overcome these challenges.

In conclusion, Imed Hazgui urged immediate action to address the challenges posed by the informal economy. He stressed that this issue threatened not only economic stability, but also citizens’ trust in institutions. His call for comprehensive reform and effective state regulation resonates as an urgent warning for Tunisia.

Meriem KHDIMALLAH