Tunisia signs agreements for road projects

The Tunisian government signed two financing agreements with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (FADES) on Tuesday, October 27, to support road projects. The total amount of the agreements amounts to approximately 432 million dinars (approximately 144 million USD).

First agreement targets major road corridor

The first agreement, amounting to approximately 288 million dinars, concerns the first phase of the Boussalem-Fernana road construction project, in the northwest of the country, near the Algerian border. This route is part of a road corridor of approximately 780 km, itself integrated into the Maghreb axis connecting Nouakchott to Tripoli through several countries in North Africa.

Second agreement focuses on shorter road development

The second financing, amounting to approximately 144 million dinars, is intended for a road development project covering 67 km. According to Tunisian authorities, these projects aim to improve living conditions for the population, particularly in rural areas and inland regions, while facilitating the development of agricultural activities.

Improved accessibility aims to boost local trade

Improved accessibility should also promote local trade and strengthen the economic integration of the northwest. These financings are part of the efforts undertaken by the government to modernize and densify the national road network.

Infrastructure challenges persist in Tunisia

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), mobility constraints, particularly those related to infrastructure degradation, continue to hinder the exploitation of the economic potential of certain governorates. According to data from the Ministry of Equipment, the classified Tunisian road network extends over approximately 19,750 km of national, regional, and local roads, of which nearly 12,750 km are surfaced.

Sustainable gains depend on infrastructure quality

The country also has approximately 360 km of highways and nearly 2,100 structures and drainage works. The realization of the expected economic benefits will depend on several factors, including the quality of the work and the maintenance of infrastructure over time, in a context where the degradation of the network already limits mobility in certain regions. For the authorities, the challenge will be to transform these investments into sustainable gains in accessibility, agricultural competitiveness, and regional economic development.