Tunis — Japan granted Tunisia a donation worth 2.870 million US dollars, about 4.571 million Tunisian dinars, to fund community works and a local participation project for the benefit of the Jendouba governorate.

Funded by the Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF) and managed by the World Bank (WB), this donation aims to "provide an income support to unskilled workers and long-time unemployed persons, by offering them the possibility to participate in works to improve their employability."

These works will be carried out over a four-year period, i.e., up to 2016, in a way that ensures participation of civil society associations.

The donation agreement was signed Monday in Tunis by Investment and International Co-operation Minister Riadh Bettaieb and WB Resident Representative in Tunisia Eileen Murray.

This is one of three donations granted by the Japanese government, the first two were dedicated to assist the unemployed in the Kasserine and Siliana governorates.

The project will fund, according to Mrs. Murray, notably "the execution of about one hundred public works sub-projects of a high labour force intensity to improve infrastructures and local services in the Jendouba governorate."

Mr. Bettaieb specified that the project proposes, "according to a participatory approach that involves NGOs, local associations, civil society and people, appropriate formulae and tools aimed to raise youths' revenues, offer them adequate training and help them set up their own businesses."

For his part, Japan's ambassador to Tunisia Toshiyuki Taga pointed out that "the project provides for supporting concrete action to develop employment, particularly through the restoration of infrastructure and services that were damaged after the Revolution."