The major event for the promotion and development of the aerospace sector in Tunisia in terms of attracting FDI and subcontracting is back: Aerospace Meetings Tunisia kicked off on 23 April and ended on 25 April at El Mghira Park. This 4th edition was highlighted by Mrs Féryel Ouerghi, Minister of Economy and Planning, who indicated, during the inaugural plenary session, that the aeronautics industry represents a priority and important sector in the national industrial strategy, while stressing that the major objective is to position Tunisia as a key player on a regional and international scale.

The Minister expressed the government’s determination to provide all the necessary conditions to support growth sectors with a high technological continuity and high added value, improve the business climate, generalise the digitalisation of the administration and resolve the problems linked to the land sector. For his part, Mr Jalel Tebib, Managing Director of FIPA-Tunisia, emphasised that Tunisia has a number of assets at its disposal, including the country’s strategic position, the availability of Tunisian expertise and an investment climate conducive to business development. He also pointed out that the authorities are aware of the challenges facing this sector, but that these can be resolved through the collaboration of all those involved and the entire aeronautical ecosystem.

Thierry Haure Mirande, Chairman of GITAS, said that Tunisia’s aeronautical supply chain was the first of its kind in the Arab Maghreb, making the most of Tunisia’s highly qualified and experienced skills.
Testimonies were given in this field to show that Tunisia has acquired a status that is worth welcoming investors, such as Airbus Atlantic, Safran Tunisie, Corse Composites Aéronautiques Tunisie, Figeac Aero Tunisie and Hutchinson Aerospace Tunisie.
En outre des rencontres B2B, trois ateliers thématiques ont été organisés visant à échanger les idées, partager les bonnes pratiques, explorer les dernières nouveautés technologiques et identifier les domaines d’amélioration.
For the first time since its creation, a prize bearing the name of the founding father of Aerospace meeting, the late Gaby Lopez, was awarded to Mr Malek Elj for his project ‘Digitalisation of the UAP profiled using Lean tools’ and Ms Siwar Lacheb for her project ‘Detection of atypical flight operations using AI’.
This year’s event, organised by Advanced Business Events in collaboration with FIPA and GITAS, was attended by 150 companies representing 10 countries.

Habemus Solutions, the German company specialising in electronic engineering and embedded software, which has been operating in Sfax since 2020, has just announced the opening of a second office in the Tunisian capital, Tunis. The announcement was made by its Managing Director, Gottfried Fisher, during his meeting with Mr Jalel TEBIB, Managing Director of FIPA Tunisia, on Tuesday 15 April.

This expansion confirms the favourable propensity for growth in digital activities and the availability of conditions conducive to the exploration of new markets in Tunisia. With an annual growth rate of around 11%, the digital sector now contributes 4.3% of GDP, making it one of the three most attractive sectors for international companies, alongside the automotive and aeronautical sectors, as well as textiles and clothing.

Mr Fischer, CEO of Habemus Solutions, expressed his satisfaction with the high-level skills and favourable regulatory framework offered by Tunisia, opening up promising prospects for the company’s future. He stressed that from the Tunisian platform, development opportunities easily extend to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The new site will enable Habemus to increase its workforce to around forty engineers based in Sfax and Tunis, reinforcing its commitment to the country’s economic and technological development.

On 12 April 2024, Visteon Tunisia, which specialises in electronic automotive components, inaugurated a new unit in Bir El Bey, Tunisia, in the presence of Sachin Lawande, Group Executive Director.

The new unit was set up by 100% Tunisian skills in the space of ten months, with a 60% integration rate, to create 400 additional jobs by 2024. The new plant is expected to create 1,000 direct jobs and 3,500 indirect jobs by 2028, at an investment cost of $50 million.

The Visteon Tunisia group is an exporting company that has been operating in Tunisia since 1991, manufacturing automotive electronic components and employing 350 people.

Headquartered in Van Buren Township, Michigan in the United States of America, Visteon is present in 17 countries around the world, where it employs 10,000 people. At the end of 2023, Visteon had annual sales of approximately USD 3.95 billion and had recorded USD 7.2 billion in new business.

The Japanese giant and global leader, Sumitomo, has begun construction on its third automotive wiring harness factory in Tunisia, following the installations in Jendouba and El-Fejja. The new production unit, Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze Tunisia, will focus on manufacturing wiring harnesses for Mercedes electric vehicles. It will be located in the Ertiyah 2 industrial zone in Jendouba, covering a total area of ​​10 hectares, with 5 hectares being covered.
The investment in this new factory will amount to 91 million Tunisian dinars (MDT), and production is expected to start in 2025, creating 1,920 jobs. The inauguration and monitoring of Sumitomo’s activities were marked by the on-site visit of the Japanese Ambassador to Tunisia, Takeshi Osuga, the CEO of Fipa, Jalel Tebib, the President of the Industrial Land Agency (Afi), Kais Mejri, and the CEO of the Tunisian-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nacef Belkhiria.

The Swiss group Zühlke Engineering, which specialises in strategy, innovation and the development of digital solutions and applications, has decided to set up in Tunisia, according to Predrag Poposki, the group’s projects and investment manager, at a meeting on Wednesday with Jalel Tebib, Director General of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA Tunisia).

“In the immediate future, Zühlke Engineering, which has operations in around ten countries, plans to recruit around thirty Tunisian engineers in specialised fields, with a view to doubling this number in the medium term,” FIPA said in a press release issued in Tunis on Thursday.

The decision to locate in Tunisia was based on a number of factors, including the availability of engineering talent, strategic positioning, proximity and cultural diversity, added Poposki.

For his part, Tebib congratulated the representative of Zühlke Engineering on his choice of Tunisia, while confirming that the specific features of the Tunisian business climate and the regulatory framework for investment militate in favour of such a decision.

The CEO of FIPA also presented the role of FIPA-Tunisia in terms of advice, guidance and assistance, reiterating the commitment of the Agency’s team to monitor the establishment of Zühlke in Tunisia under the best possible conditions.

According to the BMI Tunisia Country Risk Report, Q2 2024, forecasts indicate a modest improvement in real GDP growth from 0.5% in 2023 to 1.3% in 2024, driven by factors such as increased household consumption and controlled import growth. According to BMI’s Tunisia Country Risk Report for the second quarter of 2024, forecasts point to a modest improvement in real GDP growth from 0.5% in 2023 to 1.3% in 2024, supported by factors such as an increase in household consumption and restrained import growth. The diversification of the economy through services, agriculture and manufacturing contributes to its stability.

In addition, the BMI report mentions that Tunisia’s high level of human capital development and its geographical proximity to European markets make it an attractive destination for foreign investment, particularly in sectors such as energy. The report also points out that long-term growth opportunities exist in sectors such as tourism, subject to sustained security and sufficient foreign investment. Reform efforts, supported by organizations such as the IMF, have the potential to improve investor confidence and unlock financing from bilateral and multilateral sources.

Despite recent constitutional changes, the Tunisia Country Risk Report highlights Tunisia’s reputation as the only democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring that continues to facilitate access to international aid, loans and investment, notably from the EU. Closer ties with wealthier markets, such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, offer prospects for financial support and investment, contributing to economic growth and job creation. Overall, despite persistent challenges, Tunisia’s economic outlook remains promising, underpinned by ongoing reforms and strategic partnerships.

Download the report: Tunisia-CountryRiskReport

BMI, affiliated to the Fitch rating group, recently published its quarterly report for the second quarter of 2024, entitled “Tunisia Country Risk ReportIncludes 10-year forecasts to 2033”, offering an in-depth analysis of the economic and political situation in the country.
According to the report’s projections, real GDP growth in Tunisia is expected to show a slight improvement, rising from around 0.5% in 2023 to 1.3% in 2024. This increase is mainly attributed to a slight increase in household consumption, controlled growth in imports and a moderate easing of pressures on government liquidity.
The report offers a comprehensive analysis of political, financial and economic risks, including BMI’s fundamental points of view, 10-year forecasts, the economic risk index, the political stability and risk index, the long-term political outlook, the SWOT analysis and detailed sections on the structural economy.