Tunis, June 25, 2026
The UTICA headquarters in Tunis hosted on June 24 and 25, 2026 the Tunisia–Italy Economic and Business Forum, a high-level event bringing together about 600 Italian and Tunisian representatives from institutions, entrepreneurial associations and companies around a common objective: to strengthen a historic economic partnership and open new perspectives of cooperation in strategic sectors.
The Forum was opened by Mrs. Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri, Head of Government of the Tunisian Republic, and Mr. Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, as well as Mr. Samir Majoul, President of UTICA, Mr. Matteo Zoppas, President of the ICE Agency, and Mr. Antonio Gozzi, Special Adviser of Confindustria for European strategic autonomy, the Mattei Plan and competitiveness.
“ Today, I am in Tunis to reaffirm the importance of the bilateral partnership, founded on a shared vision of growth and stability in the Mediterranean.
Tunisia is a strategic partner for Italy and a bridge to Africa, at the heart of the Mattei Plan and of a cooperation that we wish to be ever more balanced and growth-oriented », said the Vice-President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani.
“ The remarkable participation of about 500 companies in the economic and business forum testifies to the immense economic potential that unites our two countries.
I discussed this with the Head of Government, Mrs. Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri, with whom we reviewed the main regional crises as well as bilateral cooperation, notably in migration and energy sectors.
Our objective is to make the Mediterranean a space of growth and innovation, thanks to strategic projects such as ELMED, Transmed and the Southern Hydrogen Corridor, which will contribute to strengthening our energy security.
I finally reaffirmed the full support of the Italian Government for developing solid cooperation with the European Union, essential to the stability of our continents », a-t-il ajouté.
This meeting confirmed the common will of Tunisia and Italy to build an ever more integrated economic partnership, based on productive investment, innovation, job creation and sustainable development, within the framework of Growth Diplomacy and the Mattei Plan.
Strategic partnership confirmed
During this forum, several agreements and memorandums of understanding were concluded between institutions and companies from both countries, promoting new opportunities for investments, industrial collaboration and joint development.
The Forum’s proceedings also allowed presenting the main financing, guarantee and investment-support instruments available to Tunisian and Italian companies.
Representatives of SIMEST, CDP, SACE, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) as well as the Agency for Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII), FIPA, APIA, CEPEX and the Ministry of Economy and Planning outlined the provisions designed to support cooperation and investment projects between the two countries.
Four thematic panels enabled exploring opportunities offered by several strategic sectors :
- The energy and digital transitions, notably with flagship projects such as Elmed, the submarine cable linking Tunisia and Italy, as well as the development of renewable energies and digital transformation.
- Advanced industry, notably in the pharmaceutical, automotive, technological and raw materials sectors.
- Innovation and sustainability in traditional sectors such as textiles, agriculture, agro-food and aquaculture.
- Transport and logistics infrastructures, with particular emphasis on modernizing port infrastructures and strengthening sea connections between the two countries.
Participants highlighted the substantial potential of Tunisian–Italian cooperation in renewable energy, digital technologies, the automotive industry, pharmaceuticals, port infrastructures, food security, as well as in the development of integrated industrial value chains across the Mediterranean shores.
Nearly 400 bilateral meetings
On June 25, 2026, dedicated to B2B meetings, about 400 bilateral meetings were organized between businesses from the two countries, fostering direct exchanges that allowed identifying new opportunities for commercial, industrial and technological partnerships and advancing several concrete cooperation projects.
The Forum also served to reaffirm the strength of economic relations between the two countries. Italy remains Tunisia’s second-largest trading partner today, accounting for 16.8% of Tunisian imports and 17.4% of its exports. In 2025, bilateral trade reached 6.5 billion euros, with Italian exports amounting to 3.4 billion euros and imports of 3.1 billion euros. In the first quarter of 2026, trade reached a value of 1.7 billion euros, up 2.9% compared to the same period of the previous year, thanks notably to the increase in Italian exports (+10.9%).
In 2025, Italy established itself as Tunisia’s second supplier and second client, reflecting the strength and dynamism of the economic relations between the two countries.
The Italian entrepreneurial presence in Tunisia is also strong and firmly anchored. In 2025, more than 1,000 Italian companies were active in the country, contributing to the creation of over 85,000 direct jobs. The stock of Italian direct investments in Tunisia amounts to nearly 1.9 billion euros, in key sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, textiles, agro-food, mechanical, pharmaceuticals and technologies.
Participants also highlighted Tunisia’s many advantages as an investment destination: its geographical proximity to Europe, the quality of its human resources, its competitiveness, its dynamic innovation ecosystem, and its strategic positioning as a gateway to African and European markets.
The Tunisia–Italy Economic and Business Forum, fully aligned with the Growth Diplomacy dynamic and the Mattei Plan, marks a new step in strengthening a strategic partnership based on economic complementarity, geographic proximity and a shared vision of sustainable development and shared prosperity.
Organizers praised the quality of exchanges and the commitment of all participants, reaffirming their willingness to continue the dialogue and to support the realization of projects, partnerships and investments arising from this edition.
Source: Press release
