Tunisia Aims to Become a Euro-Mediterranean Technological and Industrial Hub by 2035
Tunisia has set an ambitious goal to transform itself into a Euro-Mediterranean technological and industrial hub by 2035. This objective is entirely legitimate, considering the country's geographical proximity to Europe and the significant national potential available. The national strategy "Industry and Innovation 2035," promoted by the President of the Republic, is expected to help achieve this strategic goal.
Economic Progress and National Finances
The national economy, although not yet having reached all its objectives, continues to progress and regain momentum, confirming the certainty of the chosen options and the reliability of the engaged programs. Similarly, public finances are experiencing a certain easing, thanks to the rigor and transparency of the applied budgetary discipline.
This positive assessment is explained, first and foremost, by the involvement of the banking sector, which fully supports the national development policy and its main requirements. It is also due to the performance of certain sectors, such as agriculture and tourism, as well as mechanical and electrical industries, which have been experiencing a certain dynamic since the implementation of the national strategy "Industry and Innovation 2035." This dynamic is beginning to have a positive impact on other activities.
Industrial Sector Performance
According to the semi-annual survey by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the year 2025 was marked by a resurgence of confidence among industrialists in the sector and a sustained increase in production. The INS specifies that during the first 9 months of 2025, exports from the sector increased by approximately 6.4% to 22.7 billion dinars. This amount is driven primarily by the growth of electrical exports, with an average of 10.4%.
The encouraging behavior of the sector positions it as the pillar of national exports and the "cutting edge" of economic competitiveness, with 49% of the global volume. This status was previously occupied by the textile and clothing sector. What's more, the margin for progress is significant, especially since mechanical exports have not yet taken off and are experiencing only a slight evolution of 0.5% during the same period.
Innovation and Research and Development
However, in the face of the rapid evolution of the international industrial market, Tunisian mechanical and electrical industries (IME) must perform even better to maintain their competitive capacity. This is all the more true since the current advances in the sector remain somewhat discreet compared to its real potential.
At this stage, the main challenges involve accelerating the transition to energy and gaining more in electromobility, as well as improving the production volume of certain components, such as green hydrogen. These two orientations are considered strategic.
According to some analysts, "electromobility is now essential for a dynamic and performing local automotive sector, while hydrogen, which is highly sought after, would allow our country to impose itself as a major player in the European market, thanks to its geographical proximity and natural potential."
In parallel, to better move up the value chain and integrate into global value chains, Tunisian IME must further perfect their innovation and research and development programs, which are currently considered timid compared to the requirements of the current and future stages. These challenges require a significant volume of investments.
