Tunisia and UNOPS Strengthen Cooperation on Development Projects
On May 13, 2026, Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti, held a working session with UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, at the Ministry's headquarters. The meeting took place in the presence of the UNOPS Regional Director for Africa and the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Tunisia.
The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the depth of cooperation and partnership between Tunisia and the United Nations System, based on mutual trust, dialogue, and shared commitment to multilateralism and international solidarity. It also allowed for the celebration of the continued evolution of cooperation with UNOPS since 2006.
The Minister emphasized the role played by UNOPS in supporting Tunisia's development efforts, particularly in the fields of health, project management, infrastructure development, institutional support, logistics, and procurement.
It is worth noting that UNOPS is currently implementing 18 projects in Tunisia worth approximately $74.6 million, in addition to projects completed in recent years worth over $133 million, reflecting the mutual trust and effectiveness of the partnership between the two parties.
In this context, the Minister highlighted that the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Organization's office in Tunisia marks an important milestone for evaluating two decades of fruitful cooperation and envisioning a new phase of more strategic, integrated, and effective partnership. He reaffirmed Tunisia's commitment to strengthening cooperation with UNOPS in several priority sectors, including energy transition, climate change adaptation, water resource management, food security, digital transformation, sustainable infrastructure, youth employment, and women's empowerment.
From his side, the UN Assistant Secretary-General praised Tunisia's commitment to the United Nations' objectives and goals, as well as its participation in various initiatives aimed at developing its mechanisms and strengthening its operational capacities to address growing challenges. He also reaffirmed the United Nations' commitment to strengthening cooperation with Tunisia in accordance with the country's defined needs, with the aim of supporting global development goals and national priorities.
The meeting also discussed the process of preparing the strategic cooperation framework between Tunisia and the United Nations System for the 2027-2031 period. Both parties emphasized the need to align this framework with national priorities outlined in the 2026-2030 National Development Plan, adopting a results-based approach, focusing on concrete impact and sustainability, and highlighting the mobilization of innovative and concessional financing, technology transfer, and capacity building.
The discussions also touched on the initiative launched under the supervision of the UN Secretary-General to ensure the continuity of fertilizer transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to global food security and limiting disruptions to agricultural supply chains. The operational role played by the Organization in this context was also praised.
At the end of the meeting, both parties renewed their commitment to follow up on the conclusions of this session. It was agreed to organize a working workshop in the near future to develop a roadmap for future cooperation between the two parties, based on Tunisia's needs in various fields and UNOPS' capabilities and expertise.
