A service to transfer funds from Italian postal savings books to those of African countries. It's called "Savings without frontiers" and it's a new initiative by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, presented today at the Viminale in the presence of the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Salvini, the Tunisian minister of telecommunications, Anouar Maarouf, the managing director of Cdp, Fabrizio Palermo, and of the general director of the Tunisian Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Boutheina Ben Yaghlane.
The project, developed as part of the support activity for Cdp's international cooperation, will be active as early as April 30 in Tunisia - with the involvement of Cdp, Poste Italiane, the Tunisian Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations and La Poste Tunisienne - but in the future it will also be extended to other countries on the African continent, starting with Morocco.
"It is the best answer for those who want to work and live in Tunisia or in Italy, in compliance with the rules - commented Salvini - This day will be remembered as the beginning of a positive path and which confirms the solid all-round collaboration between Rome and Tunis”.
The project was developed together with Poste Italiane and with the collaboration of La Poste Tunisienne. The goal is to increase the savings of Tunisians residing in Italy, by encouraging funding aimed at cooperation, development and growth that can be a source of financing for public utility projects, infrastructure, businesses and public administrations in the country of origin.
Fabrizio Palermo underlined that "the one with Tunisia is the first step of a wider program thanks to which the African communities who live and work in Italy will be able to contribute to the economic and infrastructural growth of their countries of origin".
According to the World Bank, in 2017 remittances from Europe to Africa exceeded 26 billion dollars and 3,7 of these came from Italy. In particular, globally, the Tunisian community records about 300 million dollars in remittances each year, while the Moroccan community transfers more than one billion dollars each year.
In Italy, even among African citizens, the use of passbook savings accounts and postal savings bonds (over 500 million euros in savings) is widespread as simple and secure forms of savings: they are guaranteed by the State, the capital is always available and not provide for management costs (net of tax charges). Over 40 thousand Tunisian citizens (out of a total of around 110 thousand holders of a residence permit) and over 130 thousand Moroccan citizens (out of a total of around 450 thousand holders of a residence permit) use postal savings products.
