Tunisia Seeks to Boost Renewable Energy with Strategic Partnerships
The Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Abdelhafidh, emphasized during a plenary session focused on examining draft laws related to concession agreements for photovoltaic energy production that these agreements are part of a strategic economic choice aimed at supporting the energy transition and strengthening national sovereignty through energy security.
He dismissed any political interpretation of the dossier or link to government changes, referencing the recent presidential decision to end the functions of the Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, stressing that the dossier remains strictly economic and developmental.
Regarding foreign investment, the Minister recalled that Tunisia remains open to foreign capital, respecting its sovereignty and legislation. He noted that over 4,000 foreign companies currently operate in the country across various sectors, in accordance with Tunisian rules on employment, exchange, and taxation.
The Minister highlighted the potential of the renewable energy sector, considered a major attractor for Tunisian and foreign investors. This sector contributes to electricity production, improving economic competitiveness, and reducing the carbon footprint of Tunisian products, particularly on European markets.
According to presented figures, the share of renewable energies in Tunisia reached approximately 9% in 2025, up from 3-4% four years ago. Despite this progress, the Minister estimated that the pace remains insufficient in light of national objectives, which require around 3,900 megawatts more to achieve 35% renewable energy by 2030.
He clarified that the five current projects submitted, representing nearly 600 megawatts, constitute an important but insufficient step, calling for accelerating investments in a context of strong international competition.
The Minister also relied on data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (2025), indicating that Tunisia, with a capacity of 1.21 gigawatts, remains behind several regional countries, which imposes, in his view, the acceleration of reforms and the strengthening of investor confidence.
Responding to concerns about national sovereignty, he assured that opening up to foreign investors in the energy sector does not compromise sovereignty, as long as projects are governed by Tunisian law. He recalled that the concession mechanism is an international practice ensuring the profitability of long-term investments, particularly in projects with high capital intensity.
Furthermore, he emphasized the need to reduce the burden of energy subsidies, recalling that their cost reached 7.1 billion dinars in 2025, with 3.89 billion allocated to electricity.
On the other hand, the Secretary of State for Energy Transition, Wael Chouchen, stated that Tunisia has entered a phase of concrete implementation of its energy transition. He specified that several already completed projects have allowed for a reduction in electricity production costs to the benefit of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company.
These projects are expected to result in an estimated annual cost reduction of 300 million dinars, as well as a contribution of over 7% to the national electricity mix. They are also expected to increase the share of renewable energies from the current 9% to approximately 16% by the end of 2027.
The Secretary of State added that the projects are ready to be launched, with a start-up scheduled for 2026 and a commissioning before the end of 2027, estimating that they will mark a structural transformation of the Tunisian electricity system. He also mentioned the possibility, in the medium term, of evolving Tunisia from an energy importer to a more autonomous actor, or even an exporter.
Finally, he highlighted that these projects are governed by Law No. 12 of 2015 on the production of electricity from renewable energies and subject to parliamentary approval, while acknowledging certain difficulties related to land availability, particularly for private lands.
