The Office of the Assembly of Representatives of the People has decided to refer nine bills to the Finance and Budget Committee, requesting urgent examination. These texts concern financing and guarantee agreements intended to support projects in the water and energy sectors.
Nine bills for hydraulic and energy projects
The president of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, Ibrahim Bouderbala, presided on Monday morning, 2 November 2026, meeting No. 1 of the Assembly Bureau for the ordinary parliamentary session 2026-2027. The nine projects referred to the Finance and Budget Committee are as follows:
*Bill No. 64/2026: approval of the guarantee agreement concluded on 22 September 2026 between Tunisia and the African Development Bank (AfDB). This is related to the loan granted to the National Company for Water Exploitation and Distribution (SONEDE) to contribute to financing a project to improve the technical and energy efficiency performance of the Grand Tunis drinking water network.
*Bill No. 65/2026: approval of the forward sale agreement concluded on 10 May 2026 between Tunisia and the Islamic Development Bank, intended to provide supplementary financing for the Saïda and Kalaa Kebira dam project and related water transfer works.
*Bill No. 66/2026: approval of the guarantee agreement concluded on 15 January 2026 between Tunisia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). It concerns a loan granted to the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) to contribute to financing a power line between Grombalia and Kandar, as part of the “ELMED II” project.
*Bill No. 67/2026: approval of the first-demand guarantee agreement concluded on 28 April 2025 between Tunisia and the European Investment Bank (EIB). It concerns an additional loan granted to SONEDE to contribute to financing the Béjaoua water treatment plant and its connection to the company’s water networks and hydraulic works.
Bill No. 68/2026: approval of the first-demand guarantee agreement concluded on 19 February 2026 between Tunisia and the French Development Agency (AFD). It concerns an additional loan granted to SONEDE to strengthen the infrastructures for transferring treated water.
*Bill No. 69/2026: approval of the supplementary financing contract concluded on 28 April 2025 between Tunisia and the EIB to contribute to financing the program for strengthening and securing the supply of drinking water in the Grand Tunis.
*Bill No. 70/2026: approval of the loan agreement concluded on 12 September 2025 between Tunisia and the AFD to contribute to financing the same program.
*Bill No. 71/2026: approval of the first-demand guarantee agreement concluded on 19 February 2026 between Tunisia and the AFD. It concerns an additional loan granted to SONEDE to contribute to financing the program for strengthening and securing the supply of drinking water in the Grand Tunis.
*Bill No. 74/2026: approval of the guarantee agreement concluded on 6 January 2026 between Tunisia and the Maghreb Bank for Investment and External Trade. It concerns a loan granted to STEG to contribute to financing its purchases of natural gas.
The bureau decided to prepare a joint report on Bills Nos. 64, 69, 70 and 71 of 2026, as well as another joint report on Bills Nos. 67 and 68 of 2026.
Budget discussions will begin on November 9
The members of the bureau unanimously approved the draft schedule for the first part of the joint plenary session between the Assembly of the Representatives of the People and the National Council of Regions and Districts. The proceedings will focus on the draft state budget and the draft economic budget for 2027, as well as on missions and special assignments.
The sessions are to begin on 9 and 10 November 2026 with the presentation and examination of the two projects, as well as with the presentation of the Prime Minister’s statement. The discussions on the missions and special assignments will continue from 10 to 25 November 2026.
The bureau also reviewed the organization of the sessions, the conduct of debates, and the time allocated for MPs’ interventions and for responses by the relevant government members. The 2027 Finance Bill must subsequently be presented and debated, with adoption no later than 10 December 2026, in accordance with the deadline provided by Article 78 of the Constitution.
143 written questions submitted to the government
At the end of the meeting, the bureau decided to transmit 143 written questions to the concerned government members, pursuant to Article 129 of the Assembly’s Internal Rules, notably its third paragraph.
