AfDB Pushes Tunisian Firms Toward Continental Growth

Malinne Blomberg, the bank’s Deputy Director General for North Africa, challenged attendees to measure the event’s success not by attendance, but by the volume of projects financed and jobs created. She highlighted three strategic pillars for growth: pivoting capital toward sustainable, inclusive transformation, leveraging regional integration, and accelerating project implementation through tighter collaboration between government bodies and the private sector.

Tunisia’s industrial base—spanning automotive components, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy—remains a core asset. Membership in the African Continental Free Trade Area and COMESA serves as the primary gateway for these firms to scale operations. To assist this transition, the AfDB and the World Bank hosted a technical seminar detailing procurement workflows and tender navigation. FIPA-Tunisia Director General Jalel Tebib emphasized that the objective is to encourage local companies to form consortia and joint ventures, pooling expertise to secure major contracts across the continent.