Tunisia and Italy are demonstrating their commitment to strengthening their economic partnership, with trade reaching nearly €6.1 billion in 2025 and over a thousand Italian companies operating in the North African country.
Economic relations between Italy and Tunisia continue to solidify, driven by the growth in trade and the increasing presence of Italian investors in several strategic sectors of the Tunisian economy.
Speaking Wednesday at the opening of the Tunisian-Italian Economic and Business Forum in Tunis, Prime Minister Sara Zaafrani Zenzri indicated that bilateral trade reached nearly €6.1 billion in 2025.
According to her, this momentum continued during the first four months of 2026, with an increase of approximately 8% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The official also highlighted that 1,072 companies with Italian participation are established in Tunisia, representing a total investment volume estimated at €1.1 billion.
The meeting was held in the presence of the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani. Both sides emphasised the strength of
economic ties between the two Mediterranean nations, with Italy remaining one of Tunisia’s main trading partners and foreign investors. Rome is notably the leading investor in the Tunisian energy
sector and ranks second among foreign direct investors in the country.
Tunisian authorities also stressed the opportunities offered by several major projects being carried out jointly, including the Elmed electricity interconnection project, developed by the Tunisian
Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) and the Italian operator Terna.
Tunis considers this infrastructure a strategic project designed to strengthen energy security and promote the development of renewable energy between North Africa and Europe.
The forum comes as Tunisia finalises its 2026-2030 development plan, presented by the government as the foundation of a new economic model aimed at enhancing the country’s attractiveness.
Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the modernization of the investment framework, the digitization of administrative procedures, and the development of logistics infrastructure.
Beyond bilateral relations, Tunis also seeks to position itself as a gateway to African markets. Tunisian officials highlighted the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) and COMESA, believing that Tunisian and Italian companies could develop partnerships in the continent’s energy, industrial, agricultural, digital, and infrastructure sectors.
MK/te/Sf/fss/as/APA