Tunisia will offer public-private partnership projects for the energy, transport and other sectors worth 13 billion dinars ($4.7 billion) to revive the economy and create jobs, the investment minister told Reuters.
The partnerships include a deepwater port at Ennfidha city and subway in the eastern city of Sfax as well as water, environment, logistics and technology projects.
Foreign investment in Tunisia has been sluggish since 2011 ousting of president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali ushered in an era of political and industrial unrest.
"We will present next week at an international conference major projects aimed at re-attracting new investments that will contribute to the creation of employment opportunities, raise Tunisia's foreign currency revenues and revive growth", investment minister Zied Ladhari said.
"Today investors should know that Tunisia is a competitive destination with many privileges... We aim to attract investors from Europe, America, and the Gulf," he added.
Tunisia needs around 7 billion dinars ($2.53 billion) in external financing in 2019 and plans to issue $1 billion in bonds in early October to help cover 2018’s deficit, a senior official said on Thursday.
Tunisia needs total financing next year worth 10 billion dinars, while the external borrowing requirement is almost the same level as this year, he told Reuters, asking not to be named.
