Tunis — International calls in Tunisia, a country among the world leaders in the promotion of information and communication technology (ICT), are among the most expensive in the world, with a cost comparable to that of low-income economies or those less integrated in the globalised market such as Senegal, Myanmar and Republic of Congo, said the World Bank (WB).

"Bretton Woods" explains this increase by the monopoly of "Tunisie Telecom" on ICT infrastructure and international access, resulting in a poor integration of Tunisia in the global economy.

The dominance of "Tunisie Telecom" on international connections (telephone and Internet) which costs too much to the Tunisian economy, according to the WB, is likely to curb the potential of ICT development in Tunisia, especially as the country aspires to become a regional platform in the sector.

According to the World Bank, the opening of the Tunisian market to other operators could help Tunisia, compete with other countries such as Morocco (3 operators), Egypt (7 operators), which, despite a per capita income much lower than the national income, are in a better position to become regional centres in the sector.