Tunisia’s proposed complementary finance law (LFC) includes many new taxes, causing widespread controversy. The bill, published last week, proposes a levy of one to six days’ worth of the employees’ wages depending on their salary brackets. A 30 dinar per night supplementary tax on hotel stays for foreign visitors would also be put in place under the new law. [Magharebia]

 

Western consultants helping Egypt compile an economic reform plan say it needs at least $60 billion of investment to reach average GDP growth of 5 percent by 2018 and another $60 billion to bolster its foreign reserves, senior officials said. The driving force behind the consulting project – had also sought advice on the economic reform plan from former PIMCO chief executive officer Mohamed El-Erian. [Reuters]

 

Morocco’s trade deficit rose 2.2 percent in the first half of 2014 from a year earlier to MAD 102.45 billion ($12.45 billion). However, the figure was well below an annual increase of 10.7 percent recorded for the first quarter of 2014. [Reuters]

 

 

 

 

 

Sisi – Egypt’s vision depends on free economy | SIS

BP to invest $10 billion in Egypt’s gas fields over next 5 years | Ahram

Egypt:  Fuel price raise to increase taxi fares by 3-10 percent—CAMPAS | Aswat Masriya

Jordan: ‘Labor protests drop by 49 percent in first six months of 2014’ | Jordan Times

Underfed and underfunded: Yemen food crisis persists | Reuters