The President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress, Xavier Cadoret (SOC/G/PD, FR) met with the President of the High Instance of Local Finance (HIFL), Amel Elloumi Baouab, on 20 November 2020 during an online exchange dedicated to the development of cooperation between the two organisations.
Mr. Cadoret welcomed the progress made by the Authority during its first year of implementation, in particular the publication of its first annual report which outlines the activities of the HIFL and the state of local finance in Tunisia. This report represents a “first challenge taken up by the HIFL”, according to its President, who stressed the impact that the legitimacy of this report has on the decentralisation process. Created in 2018, the HIFL's mission is to examine all issues relating to local finances in order to support decentralisation, and to work to strengthen equity and solidarity between communities by ensuring that they have the means corresponding to their powers.
The HIFL's priorities for action concern the consolidation of a functional and sustainable local finance system in Tunisia. This wok includes the revision of the local tax code and the creation of a support fund for decentralisation, equalisation and solidarity, and the strengthening of the HIFL's capacities to implement these priorities.
The Vice-President of the Congress indicated the intention of the Congress to continue cooperation with the Authority within the framework of the South-Med Partnership and the project in Tunisia, in order to contribute to a reinforced and sustainable financing of Tunisian local authorities, as well as to create a platform for dialogue and consultation involving the government and local authorities.
This activity is part of the South-Med Partnership programme adopted by the Congress in 2017, the purpose of which is to support territorial reforms and strengthen decentralised governance in beneficiary neighbouring countries. This programme contributes to implementing the local and regional dimension of the Council of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions, in particular the Neighbourhood Partnerships with Morocco and with Tunisia (2018-2021). The activities organised in this framework benefit from financial support by Liechtenstein, Norway and Spain.
