Tunisia
National news, politics, economy, and security
Grid infrastructure and solar projects advance as state secures $500m Afreximbank facility
- ELMED Submarine Interconnector: Italian cable manufacturer Prysmian has received the formal notice to proceed from Tunisia’s STEG and Italy’s Terna to construct the €460 million ELMED submarine power link. The critical infrastructure project will physically integrate the two national grids, positioning Tunisia as a pivotal node in cross-Mediterranean energy transmission and supporting long-term regional capacity.
- Renewable Energy Expansion: Norwegian developer Scatec and Japan’s Toyota Tsusho Group have begun construction on the 120-megawatt Sidi Bouzid 2 solar plant in central Tunisia. Backed by €96 million in structural financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development alongside the European Investment Bank, the facility will generate 276 gigawatt-hours annually and significantly reduce state reliance on imported natural gas.
- Sovereign Trade Financing: The African Export-Import Bank has finalised a $500 million term loan facility with the Central Bank of Tunisia to support strategic socio-economic targets. The capital injection will finance essential fuel, fertiliser, and food imports while bolstering the state’s foreign-currency liquidity outside of historically restrictive Western-dominated lending frameworks.
- Comprehensive Wage Reform: A multi-year wage increase programme has been formally instituted across both the public and private sectors, with retroactive effect from January 2026. The systemic reform covers state employees, public enterprise workers, and private-sector industries, aiming to counteract inflation and structurally reinforce household purchasing power across the Tunisian workforce.
- Technology and Capital Formation: Tunisian start-ups and institutional bodies recently concluded a prominent exhibition at VivaTech 2026 in Paris to secure venture capital and strategic technology partnerships. The commercial push immediately precedes the 22nd Tunisia Investment Forum in Tunis, which will focus on routing foreign direct investment into deep tech, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing.