Tunisia-Italy Economic Forum Strengthens Bilateral Trade and Energy Links

The Italy‑Tunisia Economic and Business Forum opened in Tunis on 25 June 2026, inaugurated by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Tunisian Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri. Over 600 officials and entrepreneurs from both countries attended, aiming to deepen a trade flow that reached €6.5 billion in 2025 and to create about 85,000 jobs through more than a thousand Italian firms operating in Tunisia.

Key initiatives discussed include the €850 million Elmed 600‑MW submarine power cable linking Sicily and Cap Bon, joint photovoltaic projects by Duferco, and expanded cooperation on digital, automotive and advanced manufacturing sectors. The forum also highlighted Tunisia’s surge in olive‑oil exports – up 44.9 % in value and 63.9 % in volume – and new procedures to streamline export certification for the Chinese market.

Separately, the Tunisia Investment Forum emphasized the country’s role as a gateway to Africa, citing its early adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the potential to channel European and Asian investment through Tunisian logistics and industrial hubs.