Tunisia's Electronic Industries: A Growing Sector with Great Potential

In an interview on the sidelines of the signing ceremony of the pact for the competitiveness of the electronic industries, held recently at the Ministry of Industry's headquarters, Walid Ben Amor, President of the Elentica cluster, discussed the strengths, ambitions, and perspectives of structuring a highly promising technological sector that is set to play an increasingly important role in Tunisia's economy.

The Electronic Industries: A Sector of Excellence in Tunisia

During the signing ceremony, the electronic industries were presented as a sector of excellence in Tunisia, thanks to their performance and attractiveness to international leaders. Can you provide a brief overview of the current state of the sector?

Since 2017, the electronic sector has begun to take shape after being identified as one of the four priority sectors in Tunisia. As a result, Elentica, the group of electronic industries, was established. From there, a collaborative approach was undertaken with the support of our funding partner (GIZ) to establish the competitiveness pact, to which the State has committed in a practical and operational manner. Over the past 13 months, commissions and consultation works have been carried out between the various stakeholders and concerned ministries. The signing of this pact today concretizes the commitment of the public and private sectors. And let's not forget that electronics are now an integral part of our daily lives. It is in this context that we speak of national electronic sovereignty. We are working to establish the necessary foundations and infrastructure to make this sector a major contributor to the national GDP.

The Main Objective of the Pact: Improving Tunisia's Attractiveness

The primary objective of this pact is to improve Tunisia's attractiveness in this sector...

Absolutely. The objective is to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), which is a crucial driver of development. However, the challenge does not stop at FDI. The national market is also a priority: today, the majority of electronic inputs are imported, mainly from Asian countries. Among the key objectives are opening up public markets, improving the rate of local integration, and encouraging investors and promoters to take a greater interest in this sector. The creation of Tunisian enterprises is also crucial, as the current fabric is largely composed of multinational companies established in Tunisia. One of the major challenges is to encourage Tunisian investors to engage in this sector, in order to create a local dynamic, stimulate research and development, and generate qualified employment. This is why we approached research centers, technological poles, technical training institutes, such as Iset, as well as faculties during the development of this pact. The goal is to make academic training a global dynamic and a guarantee of confidence for foreign investors in this sector.

A Pact for Competitiveness: A Framework for Dialogue between the Public and Private Sectors

What are the respective commitments of the two parties?

The dynamics of this pact are based on reciprocal commitments between the public and private sectors. The private sector is called upon to increase investments and drive research and development. On the other hand, the public sector commits to simplifying administrative procedures and accompanying companies throughout their implantation cycle in Tunisia, both for new FDI and for companies already established. The objective is also to improve employability and ensure the availability of a qualified workforce. Beyond the mentioned objectives, there is also the ambition to create an anchor for young graduates, who are leaving for abroad and to establish a marketing campaign for the Tunisia site and for Tunisians, highlighting the technological sectors built in Tunisia with Tunisian cadres and Tunisian structures.

Will There Be a Renewal Once the Pact Has Reached Its Objectives by 2030?

The pact is part of a logic of continuous engagement. In the electronic sector, technological cycles are very rapid: components developed just three years ago can already be obsolete today. Thus, the pact is called upon to evolve permanently. Commissions will be established to ensure continuous follow-up, adapt orientations to technological evolutions, and remain attentive to the needs of foreign investors as well as the Tunisian market. And the dynamic engaged will not stop and will continue.