The Third Edition of the African ESG Summit: A Step Towards a Sustainable Economy
The third edition of the African ESG Summit, recently organized by "Managers Magazine" in Tunis, placed sustainability at the heart of the African economic debate. This edition aims to integrate ESG criteria, which have become a lever for growth, innovation, and energy independence for the continent.
A Lesson for African Industrialists
During her speech, Hajer Chekir, commercial director of a company in Tunisia, discussed the exemplary trajectory of the group. In 2021, the company made a historic decision to stop producing thermal vehicles and focus exclusively on electric and intelligent mobility. This strategic choice was also a conscious decision, with a clear objective: to reduce the global temperature by one degree Celsius and accelerate the global energy transition.
Chekir mentioned that the results speak for themselves: over 13 million new energy vehicles are currently circulating worldwide, avoiding 110 billion kilograms of CO2. Each month, an environmental impact report measures the positive effects on the climate.
Beyond the numbers, the company's strength lies in its total vertical integration: batteries, motors, semiconductors, software, and artificial intelligence are all developed and optimized in-house. This complete control of the value chain guarantees performance, sustainability, and technological sovereignty, an essential key to emerging sustainably.
The lesson for African industrialists is clear: it's time to move from the role of supplier to that of designer. Integrating data, AI, and sustainability from the design stage, building local, connected, and intelligent value chains: this is the way forward. Sustainability is no longer a cost, but a winning industrial strategy. Electric vehicles are not just an option, but a concrete lever for reducing emissions and energy sovereignty.
The Future of the Automotive Industry
The company's ambition goes even further: to accelerate the energy transition of the continent through a complete ecosystem, making electric vehicles accessible to all. In Tunisia, the state has already put in place several tax incentives to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles: exemption from customs duties and consumption, as well as a reduced VAT of 7%. These measures can accelerate the energy transition and reduce fuel imports. The future no longer belongs to mechanical power, but to the power of intelligence.
Challenges to be Overcome
Issam Jemli, a member of the steering committee of the "Tunisian Automotive Association" (TAA) and general manager of Bontaz Tunisia, recalled that the Tunisian automotive sector has made remarkable progress over the past decade, positioning itself today as a recognized player in the global value chain.
However, to strengthen its competitiveness in the face of high-performance ecosystems such as those in Morocco, Turkey, or Egypt, several challenges remain to be overcome, grouped around three main axes: industrial and logistical infrastructure, skills and technological upgrading, as well as an incentive environment and sectoral governance.
Tunisia has a dense and performing industrial fabric, but certain axes of improvement remain a priority. The development of industrialized zones is among the most urgent, notably with the project of an "Automotive Smart City", an integrated space dedicated to investment, sustainability, and innovation.
A Regional Sustainable Hub
In the same spirit, the development of export-import logistics constitutes an essential lever. It is in this context that a competitiveness pact for the Tunisian automotive sector was launched, signed between the state and the TAA. This pact is based on several pillars: infrastructure, logistics, and regulation, integrating concrete measures to improve transit and facilitate commercial transactions.
Issam Jemli stated that access to competitive and sustainable energy also represents a crucial challenge. "The TAA is committed to this aspect through the 'sustainability pillar' of the pact, aligned with international standards such as ESG and Rsci. Training and upskilling are also an essential pillar.
Tunisia is investing heavily in R&D, embedded electronics, automotive software, and new mobility jobs: electrification, connectivity, digitalization, and industrial artificial intelligence. In parallel, a national strategy aims to stem the brain drain, through policies of retention and public-private partnerships promoting alternating training and the creation of high-value-added fields.
On the governance side, regulatory and fiscal stability remains an essential condition for attracting foreign direct investment. Better coordination between industrial, energy, and training policies would strengthen the consistency of sectoral development. Finally, compliance with ESG criteria is now an inescapable requirement for global customers. Tunisia must accelerate its alignment with these standards, particularly in terms of decarbonization, traceability, and transparency.
In conclusion, the Tunisian automotive sector has solid assets: geographical proximity to Europe, qualified labor, and industrial flexibility. It must now take a step forward and move from a competitive production logic to a durable and technological competitiveness. This is the spirit in which the TAA is acting, by federating sector actors, promoting innovation, and supporting upskilling, in order to consolidate Tunisia's position as a high-value-added regional automotive hub.
