Announcement of Statement by the World Bank President on the Tunisia Higher Education Restructuring Project on April 2, 1992

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. *Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 92/S50 Contact: Fawzi Rihane Tel: (202) 473-2675 STATEMENT BY THE WORLD BANK PRESIDENT ON THE TUNISIA HIGHER EDUCATION RESTRUCTURING PROJECT WASHINGTON, April 2, 1992 -- Mr. Lewis T. Preston, President of the World Bank, issued today the following statement: " The World Bank's approval of a $75 million loan in support of Tunisia's higher education system marks the 100th World Bank operation in Tunisia. This is indeed an innovative project which will assist Tunisia in its efforts to modernize study programs and strengthen the country's higher education system to make it more cost-effective and relevant to the country's developmental goals. In this respect, I am pleased that Caio Koch-Weser, our Regional Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, will travel to Tunis next week to sign with the Tunisian authorities the project loan agreement. Since independence, Tunisia has placed high priority on its human resource development. The efforts deployed by your country to improve access to health services and family planning for its population, coupled with major achievements in education and improved living conditions, have led to remarkable progress in population and health indicators. It is noteworthy to mention that thirty years ago, in 1962, the Bank approved its very first operation to Tunisia, also for education. The project was successful, as are the vast majority of all Bank-supported projects in Tunisia. Over the years, Tunisia and the World Bank have developed a strong and productive relationship. Undoubtedly, the recent changes in the international economy are posing a fresh sat of challenges for the Tunisian economy, and we look forward to devoting our experience, expertise and resources to the challenge of furthering Tunisia's economic development and improving the country's living standards."