- 56 Turkish companies operate in Tunisia with investments estimated at 650 million dinars
- $1.6 billion trade volume between the two countries, with trade balance in Turkey’s favor
The official launch of the Tunisian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry was announced Saturday in Tunis, at a ceremony bringing together public and private sector officials from both countries; members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Tunis; as well as representatives of nearly 200 Tunisian and Turkish companies and media outlets.
$1.6 Billion Trade Volume Between the Two Countries
Turkey’s Ambassador to Tunisia, Ahmet Misbah Demircan, stated that his country, now a major manufacturing hub, attaches great importance to developing economic and trade ties with Tunisia. This is particularly true within the framework of tripartite cooperation, which he said could open African and European markets to Turkish products via Tunisia. He emphasized Tunisia’s strong potential as a commercial and industrial hub, thanks to its strategic geographic location and highly skilled human resources.
The ambassador noted that trade volume between Turkey and Tunisia has reached $1.6 billion, adding that many opportunities remain untapped in sectors such as textiles, fisheries, defense, and various industries. He expressed confidence that the new chamber would provide an ideal framework to further highlight available investment opportunities and foster closer ties between business communities in both countries.
65 Turkish Companies Operating in Tunisia with €650M in Investments, Yet Job Creation Falls Short of Expectations
For his part, Jalel Tebib, Director General of Tunisia’s Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, said that Turkish investments in Tunisia should better reflect the rich and diverse opportunities available across all sectors, particularly in textiles, clothing, food industries, and automotive components. He also announced that the coming days would see a landmark Turkish investment in the aircraft components sector, which would further consolidate Tunisia’s position as an investment hub for global companies targeting both Tunisia and Africa.
Tebib recalled that around 56 Turkish companies are currently operating in Tunisia, with total investments estimated at 650 million dinars. However, he noted that job creation remains below expectations, expressing hope for a significant breakthrough in employment generation.
Invest in Tunisia to Serve African Markets
In his address, Anis Jaziri, President of the Tunisian-African Business Council, lamented that the trade balance between Tunisia and Turkey is unfortunately not in Tunisia’s favor, adding that Tunisia’s trade deficit with Turkey is highly concerning. He stressed that Turkish companies could help rebalance trade by investing in Tunisia to meet the needs of African markets.
Jaziri also pointed to the ninth edition of “FITA 2026” (Tunisia Africa Business Meetings), which he said confirmed that Tunisia can serve as a launchpad for Turkish companies aiming to enter African and European markets.
Tunisia: A Future Industrial and Trade Hub Linking Africa, Europe, and the Arab World
Selçuk Yılmaz, President of the newly launched chamber, said that based on his personal experience on the ground, he has observed that Tunisia is capable of becoming an industrial and trade hub linking Africa, Europe, and the Arab world.
He stressed that amid ongoing global upheavals and transformations, Turkey—as one of the world’s manufacturing countries—could find no better partner than Tunisia, with its high-level competencies and skills, from which to reach other markets.
Yılmaz further revealed that three major projects are planned for the near future, one of which is in the textile sector, and they are expected to significantly boost the partnership between Tunisia and Turkey.
TunisianMonitorNews (TLIG Dhouha)
