Italian Cooperation in the country

The reasons that make Tunisia a priority country for Italy are easily traceable to its geographical and cultural proximity, the history of human and economic exchanges, as well as the broader Euro-Mediterranean context. It is no coincidence that the Italian Cooperation has had an uninterrupted presence in Tunisia since its establishment in the 1980s.

In the face of political changes that began at the end of 2010 and culminated in the events of January 14, 2011—linked to the so-called "Arab Springs"—the planning of development policies between the two countries continued through technical working groups, based on renewed dialogue with institutions aimed, among other things, at supporting the country's democratic transition and the establishment of a new development model.

In 2024, the total portfolio of ongoing initiatives by the Italian Cooperation in Tunisia amounted to approximately €642.5 million (including €69.2 million in delegated cooperation). These funds correspond to 38 initiatives, broken down as follows:

29 grant initiatives (€97.4 million)

6 aid credits (€410.3 million)

1 delegated cooperation (€69.2 million)*

1 debt conversion (€50 million)

1 counterpart fund (€15.6 million)

*The ADAPT program (AID 012304) and ADAPT Cereals (AID 012769) are two distinct delegated cooperation contracts which, due to their coherence in content and management methods, are considered operationally as a single program by Headquarters.

Strategic development document in the country

The latest three-year programming for the 2021–2023 period was agreed upon with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 16, 2021, which foresees resources totaling €200 million (€150 million in credit and €50 million in grants). With the 2021–2023 MoU, Italy reaffirmed its support for Tunisia’s sustainable economic recovery through job creation and innovation, contributing to balancing the mismatch between labor supply and demand, and supporting the consolidation of the democratization process.

As of December 31, 2024, initiatives worth €156 million had been approved under the 2021–2023 MoU (€130 million in credit and €26 million in grants). The remaining €44 million foreseen under the 2021–2023 MoU—€20 million in credit and €24 million in grants—will be allocated in the course of 2025.

The Italian strategy and the areas of intervention

The current strategic orientations of Italian Cooperation in Tunisia were established by the 2021–2023 MoU on development cooperation, signed by the Tunisian and Italian Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Rome on June 16, 2021, for a total amount of €200 million (€150 million in credit and €50 million in grants).

In January 2025, a Joint Declaration was signed regarding development cooperation between Italy and Tunisia for the 2025–2027 period, which will guide upcoming discussions with Tunisian authorities to define the specific interventions for the next three years.

There are also two closely connected Delegated Cooperation initiatives currently underway in Tunisia:

ADAPT Program: Support for the sustainable development of the agriculture and artisanal fishing sectors, implemented by AICS with the contribution of the World Food Programme (WFP), aiming to develop sustainable production systems in agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture.

ADAPT Cereals Program: Aimed at improving food security and sovereignty in Tunisia, through both immediate response to the risk of cereal shortages and support for the development of a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cereal production system.

Alignment with the local government strategy and harmonization with donor community interventions

The Italian Cooperation’s portfolio in Tunisia fits within the framework of the country’s National Development Plans and contributes to achieving the goals set within them. Specifically, the funded initiatives align with the various sectoral strategies currently in force, respecting the priorities and needs defined by local authorities.

As of now, there is no joint programming in Tunisia. However, the EU Delegation ensures coordination among Member States and major international financial institutions present in the country. Throughout 2024, actions continued under the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) in the sectors of “Water” and “Investments.”

The Italian Cooperation contributes to the strategic priorities of the EU-Tunisia Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021–2027, including support for social inclusion and human development.

Italy formally adheres to both currently active TEIs in Tunisia:

TEI “Water”: The Italian Cooperation actively participates in working group meetings, focusing on:

Improving access to water and sanitation systems;

Preserving and/or improving water quality for domestic use;

Enhancing the performance of public companies operating in the water sector.

TEI “Investments”: Italy was actively involved in setting the TEI’s objectives and creating a methodology for implementation and monitoring among donors. Main goals:

Improve the business climate and investment framework;

Strengthen economic infrastructure for a resilient, carbon-neutral economy;

Facilitate access to finance and support for the private sector, with a focus on SMEs.

In this context, Italy also played a co-lead role—together with the EBRD—for the working group and coordination platform related to objective 3.

Finally, Tunisia is also a beneficiary of the regional TEI “Jobs Creation through Trade and Investment,” structured around three pillars:

Sustainable Trade and Investment

Vocational Training / Technical Skills

Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Goals and expected results

AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) works in line with Tunisia’s national strategies for the green economy and circular economy, to help preserve biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change on food security, the socio-economic fabric, and the production system.

Over the next three years, Italian Cooperation will continue to contribute to:

The development of a Tunisian economic model that accelerates inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth and promotes production and consumption models compatible with the rational management of Tunisia’s natural resources;

The improvement of the business environment and the competitiveness of the economy and enterprises, to create favorable conditions for the development of public and private investments in strategic sectors.

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