Minister of Equipment and Housing Announces Allocation of 600 Million Dinars for 2026
The Minister of Equipment and Housing, Slah Zouari, announced on Sunday the allocation of credits totaling nearly 600 million dinars for 2026, representing approximately 40% of the ministry's budget, for the benefit of bridges and roads.
Allocation of Credits
During a joint plenary session between the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) and the National Council of Regions and Districts (CNRD), held at the Bardo Palace and dedicated to the examination of the "Equipment and Housing" mission, the minister specified that:
- 300 million dinars will be allocated to numbered roads
- 100 million dinars will be allocated to the maintenance of approximately 350 km of roads
- 100 million dinars will be dedicated to repairing damage from floods and landslides
- 30 million dinars will be allocated to strengthening road safety
- 45 million dinars will be allocated to the maintenance of Djerba's ferries and the acquisition of new tracks
- A budget of 18 million dinars is planned for the purchase of sweeping machines and the maintenance program through specialized companies and enterprises
Projects and Initiatives
The remaining credits will support ongoing and future road projects and local roads. The ministry plans to implement 37 projects with a total cost of 2.9 billion dinars, including major projects such as:
- The economic axis of National Road 13 (Kasserine-Sidi Bouzid-Sfax) for 1.4 billion dinars
- National Road 2 (Kairouan-Enfidha) for 300 million dinars
- Regional Road 77 Makhtar-Elhbabsa (Siliana) over 50 km for 110 million dinars
- The construction of 14 new bridges in the governorates of Mahdia, Kairouan, Siliana, Gabès, Monastir, Ben Arous, Manouba, Sfax, Bizerte, Béja, and Nabeul
Ongoing and Future Projects
The minister also mentioned projects in the governorate of Gafsa, such as:
- Local Road 899 (Snad-National Road 3, approximately 30 km)
- The winding road of Zarzis, for a cost of around 110 million dinars
- Ongoing projects exceeding 4 billion dinars, with 79 projects planned, mainly for the development of the road network
Reinforcement of Human Resources
The minister indicated that the reinforcement of engineers, technicians, administrators, and works controllers will be ensured to guarantee the execution of these projects.
Strategic Projects
Among the strategic projects of the 2026-2030 development plan, the minister cited:
- The Bousalem-Fernana highway (approximately 45 km)
- The Tunis-Le Kef highway
- The preparation of two axes in the South: National Road 15 (Kasserine-Gabès via Gafsa) and National Road 16 (Gabès-Algerian border via Kebili to Hazoua)
Future Initiatives
Finally, the ministry is studying the creation of a permanent link between the island of Djerba, Ajim, and El Jorf. A call for tenders has been launched, and several projects, including the southern access to the capital, Korba (Nabeul), Jelma (Sidi Bouzid), and the Bizerte link, are expected to be completed in 2026.
