The close correlation between economic and social issues is a consistent element of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s development policy. Ensuring a comprehensive development and equal opportunities among citizens regardless of regional differences is a choice grounded in this policy. The regional and local dimensions of development equally hold a central position in the concerns of the Head of State. The development approach is based on a comprehensive analysis of the realities of different regions and communities. The approach confirms the suitability of the choice made and the need for thoughtful action so that no region or community is excluded from the development process.

Unannounced visits made by President Ben Ali in certain disadvantaged areas within the country were an opportunity to see the precarious situation of some communities given their urgent needs in basic amenities of life such as potable water, electricity, decent housing, health infrastructure, education and roads. Despite the attention given by the state, particularly within the frameworks of development plans which make of developing some of these communities a priority taking into account their development potential, a comprehensive study on these areas and regions highlighted the need to mobilize significant additional resources in order to accelerate the process and pace of their development and provide the inhabitants with basic amenities of life.

It became clear that such a challenge cannot be met, in the short and long terms, without stimulating the spirit of solidarity, mutual aid and the mobilization of national solidarity in order to provide support to state efforts aimed at achieving this noble objective of ensuring harmonious development and social cohesion.

The creation of the National Solidarity Fund 26-26 on 8 December 1992 was the first initiative of President Ben Ali aimed at implementing this vision, the values of solidarity and mutual aid in the practice of everyday life. The final objective of such endeavors is to provide citizens with basic infrastructure and services in order to enhance community facilities in disadvantaged areas and provide the inhabitants with the basic conditions of decent living.

The FSN was the first component of the national solidarity system which has been strengthened by new mechanisms such as the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS), the National Employment Fund (21-21) and the micro-credit system which provides loans through development associations created for this purpose.

After the constitutional reform of 2002, the concept of solidarity as a civilizational and ethical value was included in the Core Law and hence represents a civil link between the state and the various components of society. Article 5 (paragraph 3) of the Constitution states: "The state and society work in unison to entrench the values of solidarity, mutual aid and tolerance among individuals, groups and generations."

Ending the exclusion of what has been dubbed as "shadow zones" and improve the living conditions of local residents where the Fund intervenes;
Developing a basic economic platform by guaranteeing minimal revenue sources which would contribute to the integration of these regions into the development process; empower them to initiate projects with the support of the BTS created in 1998 for this purpose and whose intervention has been consolidated by encouraging the setting up of development associations which provide micro credits and coaching to entrepreneurs;
Ensuring the inhabitants’ fundamental and natural rights by providing for the right to health, education and culture and endeavoring to provide them with decent housing, a healthy environment and economic integration through the possibility of wage earning or self employment.



Act No. 122, dated December 29, 1992, relating to the Finance Act for the year 1993.
Article 29 :
Article 30 :
Article 32 :

In order to ensure the full transparency of the Fund’s expenditure, the management of its budget shall comply with the rules of public accounting and audit procedures applicable to the management of public moneys.
The idea to create the National Solidarity Fund was founded on the principles of solidarity and mutual aid among all Tunisians so that individual contributions add to the efforts of the national community and help ease the burden on the state budget. These contributions are voluntary and are in the form of grants traFSNerred to Postal Account 2626 throughout the year. This account is open to contributions made by Tunisians living in Tunisia and abroad.

The amount of contributions collected by the Fund is growing continuously. It rose from 5.112 million dinars on the occasion of National Solidarity Day (December 8, 1994), to 38 million dinars during the same day of the year 2008. As for the number of donors, it has increased from 182,000 in 1994 to 5,288,567 in 2008.


 

The areas where the Fund intervenes are usually isolated towns and rural communities deprived of essential living amenities and collective utilities, whose inhabitants suffer from poverty and have limited income sources generated by random poor agricultural activities.

Among the criteria for the eligibility of a community to benefit from the Fund’s intervention we find:

Isolation, which means the absence of or poor communication and transport means between the regions, cities and villages;
Lack of basic amenities and utilities;
The region’s limited economic potential and the insecurity affecting its population, a situation often related to the scarcity of natural resources, poor economic activity and lack of diversification;
The region’s non compliance with the criteria applicable for eligibility to benefit from national or regional projects as a result of high costs exceeding the maximum cost criteria used in the selection and adoption of projects;
Being a community of at least 26 households.



The main Fund’s missions are:
Relieving the isolation of zones defined as "shadow zones" through the extension of country tracks and roads and providing the necessary utilities and infrastructure such as potable water, electricity, housing, schools and health centers.
Improving the livelihood of the inhabitants in these areas, enabling them to access grants and loans in order to develop sources of income and employment opportunities in various sectors such as agriculture, handicrafts and small businesses, etc...

The areas of the Fund’s intervention are usually isolated boroughs and rural communities where basic amenities and community facilities are lacking. These zones, for the most part, do not meet the criteria of eligibility for programs and projects within the framework of development plans, the intervention costs being too high compared to the criteria applied in the context of these programs and projects.

During the 1994-2000 period, besides its basic mission of providing these areas with the necessary facilities and amenities, the FSN has endeavored to mobilize the necessary financial resources to strengthen the livelihoods of inhabitants. Since 2000, the FSN has been assigned a new task of providing loans and consolidating employment and sources of income, a task equally assigned to the Tunisian Solidarity Bank, micro-credit associations and the National Employment Fund 21-21.

Since its inception in 1992; the FSN has adapted to changing national concerns and priorities. Thus, having focused its attention initially on the development of basic infrastructure and amenities, including housing, the Fund has concentrated its activities during the period 2000-2004 on the eradication and replacement of rudimentary houses. From 2005 to 2009, its activities focused particularly on priority areas and border communities. Since 2007, the Fund's interventions have included working class neighborhoods located in the outskirts of large cities.