The Swiss cooperation programme with Tunisia, running from 2025 to 2028, has already generated 9,600 jobs through 50 ongoing projects in its first year, officials announced on Wednesday.
The announcement came after the 15th meeting of the monitoring committee for the Swiss-Tunisian cooperation programme, held at the Ministry of Economy and Planning. The session was attended by Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Abdelhafidh, and Swiss Ambassador to Tunisia and Libya, Josef Renggli.
In a statement, the Swiss embassy in Tunis highlighted the programme’s tangible impact on the ground, noting that half of the projects are being implemented in Tunisia’s interior regions—in line with the country’s public policy priorities.
The meeting reviewed the programme’s results over the past year and discussed prospects for continued cooperation in the current year. The initiative is carried out in partnership with relevant ministries, local stakeholders, and international organisations, with the aim of supporting economic dynamism and fostering stability and prosperity in Tunisia, according to the embassy.
Switzerland reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation ties with Tunisia, noting that the meeting coincided with a symbolic milestone—the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The embassy stressed that the anniversary reflects the strength and continuity of a partnership built on mutual trust and shared values.
Tunisia is Switzerland’s third-largest economic partner in North Africa, after Morocco and Egypt. More than 100 Swiss or Swiss-backed companies operate in the country, active in sectors ranging from electronics and leather goods to pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and commercial and tourist maritime transport.
Swiss Cooperation Programme in Tunisia Allocates 60 Million Francs to 10 Priority Regions
BOX
Switzerland’s cooperation programme with Tunisia for the 2025–2028 period is being implemented in full alignment with Tunisia’s national strategy, including the Tunisia 2035 vision, the national development plan, and various sectoral strategies, according to a document released by the Swiss embassy in Tunis.
The programme, which has a total budget of 60 million Swiss francs, is also based on the Swiss Confederation’s international cooperation strategy for 2025–2026. That strategy sets out four main objectives: saving lives and ensuring access to basic services; contributing to sustainable economic development; protecting the environment and combating climate change; and promoting peace, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. For the Middle East and North Africa region, migration has been added as a fifth priority.
The programme will focus on ten priority governorates: Beja, El Kef, Siliana, Sousse, Kairouan, Kasserine, Gafsa, Kebili, Medenine, and Tataouine.
Results from the 2021–2024 Programme
During the previous 2021–2024 phase, the programme covered three main sectors—economic development, good governance, and migration—through 60 projects. Over that period, 7,000 young people benefited from vocational training opportunities across 12 sectors, with an integration rate of 75%.
Support for authentic alternative tourism in southern Tunisia created 320 direct and 765 indirect jobs and trained 150 professionals in various heritage-related activities.
In addition, 1,920 jobs – 80% of them held by women – were generated in fields related to local products.
TunisianMonitorNews (Dhouha)
