Tunis - Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri affirmed that Tunisian-Italian economic relations are undergoing growing momentum and diversification across various fields, recalling that the volume of trade between the two countries had reached about TND 20.5 billion in 2025, with an additional growth of nearly 8% recorded during the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, and the number of companies with Italian investment in Tunisia exceeds 1,072, with a total investment volume of around TND 3.7 billion.

Zenzri specified, in a speech delivered on behalf of President Kais Saied at the opening of the Tunisian-Italian Economic Forum, organised on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), in the presence of Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, that Italy ranks first among investing countries in Tunisia in the energy sector and second as the largest partner in terms of foreign direct investment.

Italy also ranks among the most important tourist source markets for Tunisia, with the country welcoming over 160,000 Italian tourists in 2025.

The PM highlighted the particular importance of this forum as it coincides with the celebration by Tunisia and Italy of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This occasion represents an opportunity to review 70 years of cooperation and to renew the commitment to building a strategic partnership that meets the aspirations of the two peoples and helps address joint challenges, she specified.

Zenzri underlined that Italy represents a leading strategic partner for Tunisia and an essential support in rooting a Mediterranean space founded on peace, stability, and shared development.

There is a shared ambition to foster bilateral relations to a comprehensive and solidarity-based strategic partnership, capable of keeping pace with regional and international transformations and meeting joint challenges, she noted.

Regarding the economic situation and investment, Zenzri pointed out that the forum is being held concurrently with the completion of the development plan for the 2026-2030 period, which represents a pivotal national stage that places national priorities at the forefront of concerns, in order to ensure comprehensive, equitable, and balanced development as well as social justice.

She affirmed that this plan had been devised for the first time using a participatory bottom-up approach, starting from the local level, passing through the regional level, and culminating at the national level, with the aim of establishing a new development model based on justice and the construction of a strong, resilient economy capable of facing geopolitical transformations and the rapid changes occurring in the world.

As part of implementing the strategic orientations of the plan, the State is working to further improve the investment and business climate through the implementation of essential reforms, notably the modernisation of the legislative and institutional framework of the investment system, the streamlining and complete digitalisation of administrative procedures, the improvement of public service performance, the facilitation of access to real estate for investment, and the establishment of vocational training programmes that meet the needs of companies, in addition to the development of port, customs, logistical, and air transport infrastructure and services.

// Support for investment in renewables

The Premier indicated that current economic indicators show the level of confidence that the investment climate in Tunisia enjoys among Italian investors and confirm the existence of promising opportunities in a number of vital sectors, adding that recent years have seen a notable increase in the volume of funding and joint projects between the two countries.

In this regard, Zenzri reviewed the major structural projects that embody the Tunisian-Italian partnership, including the "Elmed" electricity interconnection project, implemented by the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) in partnership with the Italian company "Terna".

She described the project as a vital energy bridge connecting the two shores of the Mediterranean and the first direct electricity link between North Africa and Europe, noting the support it provides to energy security, its encouragement of investment in renewables, and its consolidation of the role of the two countries in the energy transition.

She further underlined the strategic importance of the "Tanit" project in the agriculture and water sectors, under the "Mattei Plan" for Africa, affirming that it represents an advanced model of cooperation for development and testifies to the shared will to achieve comprehensive, balanced, and mutually beneficial development, in harmony with Tunisia's development priorities.

Zenzri considered that the existing level of cooperation has not yet reached the ceiling of the potential available between the two countries, expressing her aspiration for the forum to serve as a platform to explore new investment opportunities in the fields of renewables, the automotive components industry, and information and communication technologies, in order to contribute to the building of strategic partnerships based on knowledge sharing and the valorisation of common skills.

// Industrial and Innovation Strategy Horizon 2035

She also indicated that the National Industrial and Innovation Strategy Horizon 2035 will help develop governance mechanisms for industrial ecosystems, through the implementation of competitiveness charters for major economic activities, the modernisation of technical centres, the strengthening of the role of technological and industrial hubs, support for the start-up ecosystem, and the adaptation of product accreditation and safety systems to international standards, concurrently with the implementation of the integrated national research and development strategy.

She added that this vision also includes devising a national strategy to promote small and medium-sized industrial enterprises, through the establishment of incentives for technological modernisation, the strengthening of economic integration, and the development of industrial clusters, with a view to helping Tunisian companies integrate into global value chains, improving the quality of their products, and bolstering their competitiveness.

Zenzri underlined that Tunisia's strategic priorities aim to develop high value-added sectors, notably mechanical and electrical industries, automotive and aeronautics components industry, pharmaceutical industry, technical textiles, agri-food industry, chemical industry, environmental technologies, blue economy, industries related to the energy transition, and digital services.

She also emphasised the need to foster dialogue between Tunisian and Italian companies and supporting industrial partnerships based on co-production, renewal, innovation, and access to new markets, specifying that the new development model adopted by Tunisia goes beyond the traditional approach based on simple subcontracting, thus moving towards the construction of integrated and competitive regional value chains.

These value chains focus on high value-added activities and cutting-edge technological content, which will open up new employment prospects for national skills and higher education graduates, and support SMEs in both countries.

In this regard, she called for the diversification of Italian investments in Tunisia to include promising agricultural sectors, such as the production of early vegetables, livestock, forage, and sustainable agricultural production, and agri-food industries based on modern technologies.

She also highlighted the opportunities offered by the digital economy and modern technology services, notably in the fields of data centres, cybersecurity, IT applications, and AI for companies, affirming that Tunisia boasts high-level national skills and expertise capable of ensuring the success of these projects and developing modern digital professions.

Regarding environmental challenges, the PM said that Tunisia and Italy face common issues related to the protection of natural resources, ensuring food security, combating coastal erosion and marine pollution, adapting to climate change, and preserving biodiversity in the Mediterranean.

In this regard, she pointed out the need to pool forces to address them, adding that Tunisian-Italian cooperation is an essential pillar for developing innovative solutions in the fields of water resource governance, sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, blue economy, and modernisation of agricultural production chains.

She indicated that Tunisia bases its strategic cooperation with the European Union on shared interests and leverages the mechanisms of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and neighbourhood agreements to accelerate economic and social development and improve the investment climate.

Italy plays a primordial role in the region thanks to its understanding of Mediterranean balances and African issues, and its proximity to Tunisia in terms of institutional fabric and industrial culture based on small and medium-sized enterprises, making it a main partner in supporting Tunisia's integration into European value chains, she considered.

// Opening up to Africa

The Prime Minister underlined that Tunisia has become a major player in global value chains, a pillar of stability in the Mediterranean basin, and a strategic gateway to promising African markets.

She indicated on this occasion that Tunisia's accession to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, as well as its integration into the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), testify to its commitment to boosting economic integration and developing trade on the African continent.

She added that Tunisian and Italian companies are called upon to seize the opportunities offered by Africa through tripartite partnerships that combine Italian technology, Tunisian expertise, and knowledge of African specificities, in order to meet the continent's needs in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture, water, energy, health, vocational training, digital, and industry.

Zenzri also affirmed that the Mattei Plan for Africa constitutes an important strategic framework for Tunisia, due to its consistency with the principles of balanced partnership, investment, and training.

She reiterated the need to respect the sovereignty of States and their national priorities when implementing international initiatives in Africa, while prioritising local skills to ensure the creation of value added within the countries concerned.

She stated that Tunisia is endeavouring to consolidate its position as an integrated space for production, training, and innovation, and a bridge between the two shores of the Mediterranean and Africa.

The country also aims to attract quality investments to become a dynamic regional hub contributing to wealth creation, economic growth, and social justice.

The Premier further pointed out that Tunisia continues to cement its strategic partnerships with its Arab, African, and European environments, in respect of its shared interests and economic sovereignty.

She voiced wish that this forum will contribute to enhancing the country's attractiveness as an investment destination, thanks to its geostrategic position, its infrastructure, the competitiveness of its production factors, and the quality of its human capital and its advanced skills in modern technologies.

Zenzri also expressed wish that the forum will become a regular meeting and a permanent platform for dialogue, sharing of experiences, and exploration of new partnership and investment opportunities. "The outcome of this forum will contribute to further deepening cooperation between the two countries," she stressed.

She called on participants to take part in the 22nd edition of the Tunisia Investment Forum, set for June 25-26, 2026, in Tunis, voicing wish that the work of this edition will bring a new dimension to the Tunisian-Italian partnership and scale up joint cooperation towards the African continent.

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