Tunisia: ELMED, IMEC, Plan Mattei - The country and Italy accelerate their strategic partnership
24 June 2026
By La Presse
Charged by the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, the head of government, Sara Zaafrani Zenzri, chaired on Wednesday 24 June 2026, at the headquarters of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts (UTICA), the opening ceremony of the Tunisian-Italian Economic Forum, in the presence of the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, Antonio Tajani.
The event took place in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti, the President of UTICA, Samir Majoul, the Italian Ambassador to Tunisia, Alessandro Prunas, the President of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), Matteo Zoppas, as well as Antonio Gozzi, representative of Confindustria.
In her opening speech, Sara Zaafrani Zenzri hailed the depth of the historic relations of friendship and cooperation between Tunisia and Italy. She stressed that this partnership draws its strength from ancient historical roots, natural geographical proximity, and deeply rooted human and cultural ties in the Mediterranean space.
The head of government highlighted the remarkable evolution of bilateral relations in recent years, marked by a diversification of areas of cooperation covering the economy, investment, trade, energy, culture, higher education, and scientific research. According to her, this dynamic has allowed the two countries to elevate their relationship to the rank of exceptional partnership based on permanent dialogue, close cooperation, and joint projects with high added value.
She stated that Italy today represents a privileged strategic partner for Tunisia as well as an essential player in consolidating a Mediterranean space based on peace, stability, and shared development. This orientation, she added, reflects the common will of the two countries to raise their relations toward a comprehensive and supportive strategic partnership, capable of effectively responding to regional and international changes.
Sara Zaafrani Zenzri recalled that this forum has a special dimension as it coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tunisia and Italy. She indicated that this celebration is an opportunity to highlight the richness of a historic cooperation and to renew the commitment of the two countries to a partnership that meets the aspirations of the Tunisian and Italian peoples.
The head of government emphasized that this meeting also represents a privileged platform to strengthen bilateral economic relations, stimulate investments, develop trade exchanges, and create a favorable environment for rapprochement between companies, investors, and economic actors of the two countries.
Discussing national economic prospects, Sara Zaafrani Zenzri indicated that the forum comes as Tunisia has just completed the elaboration of the 2026-2030 Development Plan. She described this document as a major national milestone opening a new stage of development based on national priorities, social justice, and regional balance.
She specified that this plan was developed, for the first time in Tunisia, according to a bottom-up participatory approach starting from the local level and moving up to the regional and national levels. The objective, she explained, is to establish a new development model based on a strong, resilient economy capable of adapting to global geopolitical and economic changes.
The head of government then reviewed the progress made in Tunisian-Italian economic relations. She stressed that Italy remains one of Tunisia's main economic partners. This position is reflected in the fact that Italy ranks first among foreign investors in the Tunisian energy sector and third in terms of foreign direct investment.
She also indicated that trade between the two countries reached nearly 20.5 billion dinars in 2025. This dynamic continued during the first four months of 2026 with an increase of 8% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The government official also highlighted the importance of the Italian market for the Tunisian tourism sector. She recalled that more than 160,000 Italian tourists visited Tunisia in 2025, stating that these figures reflect the confidence of Italian investors in the Tunisian economy and demonstrate the opportunities offered by several strategic sectors.
Sara Zaafrani Zenzri devoted a large part of her speech to the major structuring projects undertaken jointly by the two countries. She notably cited the ELMED electrical interconnection project, carried out by the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) in partnership with the Italian company TERNA.
According to her, this project constitutes a strategic energy bridge linking the two shores of the Mediterranean and represents the first direct electrical connection between North Africa and Europe. It will contribute to strengthening energy security, supporting investments in renewable energies, and consolidating the role of the two countries in the energy transition.
The head of government also mentioned the TANIT project in the agriculture and water resources sectors, part of the "Mattei Plan for Africa." She stated that this initiative constitutes an advanced example of cooperation for sustainable development and reflects the common will to promote mutually beneficial growth.
Addressing investment prospects, Sara Zaafrani Zenzri expressed her hope that the forum will foster the emergence of new projects in high-potential sectors such as renewable energies, automotive components industry, information and communication technologies, and digital services.
She presented the main orientations of the National Strategy for Industry and Innovation by 2035, which aims to establish modern industrial governance mechanisms through infrastructure development, modernization of technical centers, strengthening of technological and industrial hubs, and promotion of start-ups.
This strategy also provides for the adaptation of certification and quality control systems to international standards, as well as the implementation of an integrated national strategy for research and development.
In the same context, the head of government announced the preparation of a national strategy to strengthen the fabric of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises. This will rely on incentives for technological innovation, strengthening economic integration, and developing industrial clusters.
She explained that these measures aim to facilitate the integration of Tunisian companies into global value chains, improve the quality of their products, and strengthen their competitiveness.
Among the priority sectors identified are mechanical and electrical industries, automotive components, aeronautical components, pharmaceutical industry, technical textiles, agri-food industry, chemical industries, environmental technologies, blue economy, activities related to energy transition, and digital services.
The head of government also insisted on the importance of diversifying the portfolio of Italian investments in Tunisia to include more agricultural projects, particularly in early crops, livestock, animal feed production, and sustainable agriculture.
She also highlighted the opportunities offered by the digital economy and new technologies, especially in data centers, cybersecurity, software applications, and artificial intelligence for businesses.
According to her, these projects will also train a new generation of specialized skills in digital professions, leveraging the recognized expertise and know-how of Tunisian talents.
Sara Zaafrani Zenzri recalled that Tunisia bases its international cooperation on defending its national interests while valuing Euro-Mediterranean partnership mechanisms and neighborhood agreements with the European Union to accelerate economic development and improve the business climate.
She affirmed that Tunisia is no longer just a consumer market or a transit territory, but an integrated actor in global value chains, a pillar of stability in the Mediterranean, and a strategic gateway to African markets.
The head of government stated that Tunisian-Italian relations constitute a concrete example of Tunisia's openness policy, based on dialogue, cooperation, and the development of strategic partnerships with its Arab, African, and European environments.
She also reaffirmed Tunisia's will to diversify its partnerships while respecting its national choices and strategic interests, while preserving its economic sovereignty.
Sara Zaafrani Zenzri highlighted Tunisia's assets as an investment destination, notably its geostrategic position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, the quality of its infrastructure, the competitiveness of its production costs, and the qualification of its human resources.
She invited Italian business leaders and investors to seize the opportunities offered by the major structuring projects launched in Tunisia to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The head of government concluded her speech by expressing the hope that this forum becomes a regular event allowing Tunisian and Italian economic operators to strengthen their dialogue, share their experiences, and explore new investment and cooperation opportunities.
She declared herself convinced that the discussions initiated during this meeting will contribute to consolidating common achievements and opening new partnership prospects in the service of the interests of both peoples.
Taking the floor in turn, Antonio Tajani reaffirmed Italy's commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Tunisia and deepening bilateral cooperation. He stressed that this forum is an essential instrument for realizing the objectives of the "Mattei Plan for Africa," based on a model of balanced and mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Italian official stated that the strong participation of representatives of the Italian government and private sector testifies to the vitality of relations between the two countries. He recalled that these relations are not limited to the 70 years of official diplomatic relations but are part of a shared history of more than 2,500 years.
Antonio Tajani called on Italian companies to intensify their investments in Tunisia, particularly in the energy, renewable energies, digital transition, infrastructure, and innovation sectors.
He also insisted on the need to remove administrative and customs barriers to further promote trade and investment between the two countries.
Discussing the international context, he stressed that current geopolitical tensions, notably the disruptions related to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and their repercussions on energy prices and maritime transport, require states to strengthen their strategic partnerships.
In this framework, he described the ELMED project as an essential driver of economic development and investment between Tunisia and Italy, stating that its benefits will sustainably serve both shores of the Mediterranean.
Antonio Tajani also considered that Tunisia is called to play a central role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), launched in 2023, thanks to its geographical and economic assets that make it a natural link between Africa and Europe.
On the sidelines of the Tunisian-Italian Economic Forum, several economic partnership agreements were signed between Tunisian and Italian companies in strategic sectors. Other agreements are expected to be concluded in the coming days during the Tunisia Investment Forum, scheduled in Tunis on 25 and 26 June 2026, further strengthening the dynamic of economic cooperation and investment between the two countries.
