A regional conference was organized on Monday in Tunis (the governorates of Tunis, Ariana, Ben Arous, and Manouba) on the role of Tunisians residing abroad in promoting direct investment.
Participating in this conference, which was held under the theme “Modernizing Visions for a Promising Future”, were representatives of public institutions and Tunisian expatriates, who shared, on this occasion, testimonies about certain difficulties encountered, despite efforts deployed by the state to facilitate their economic integration in Tunisia.
Among the topics addressed during the conference were the financial transfers of the Tunisian Diaspora and investments, which represent the primary source of foreign currency, ahead of the tourism sector, declared Helmi Tlili, acting director of the Office of Tunisians Abroad (OTE).
He emphasized that Tunisian expatriates primarily invest in the services, agriculture, and industrial sectors. The governorate of Tunis attracts a significant share of these investments, he specified.
Series of Services for Tunisians Abroad
For his part, the Director General of the Banque Nationale Agricole (BNA Bank), Ahmed Ben Moulehom, highlighted the importance of this conference, which offers the opportunity to present a wide range of banking services and incentives for Tunisians residing abroad in the fields of investment, real estate, and financial transfers.
Three governors from Greater Tunis spoke in turn. Governor of Tunis, Imed Boukhris, indicated that this conference would help strengthen coordination between public structures, facilitate the economic integration of Tunisians abroad, benefit from their know-how, and inform them of new measures related to digitization and simplification of administrative procedures.
Governor of Ben Arous, Abdelhamid Boukadida, emphasized the importance of promoting the state’s communication strategy, calling for the launch of an interactive platform for exchanging information between officials and Tunisians residing abroad, to foster an entrepreneurial climate.
Lastly, governor of Manouba, Mahmoud Chouaib, stressed that this meeting constitutes a fitting opportunity to strengthen ties with Tunisians abroad and learn about their concerns, while the First Delegate of the governorate of Ariana, Fares Mejri, emphasized the need to change the nature of the relationship between the state and Tunisian expatriates and to overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
Remittances from Tunisian expats reach 7,607.8 million dinars!
There are 1.8 million Tunisians living abroad, according to a census conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad. Fifty percent are active workers, including technicians, executives, and professionals.
By the end of 2024, transfers from the Tunisian Diaspora continued to play a crucial role in the national economy.
According to monetary and financial indicators published by the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), these transfers recorded an increase of 4.6% compared to the previous year.
As of December 10, 2024, they reached a total of 7,607.8 million dinars (MD), thus surpassing tourism revenues, which, despite a 7.2% increase, amounted to 7,050 MD.
The financial flows from expatriates and tourism revenues helped cover a significant part of the foreign debt service, estimated at 13,483.1 MD for the year 2024.
These foreign currency inflows also contributed to the strengthening of foreign exchange reserves, which now stand at 25,171.1 MD, equivalent to 113 days of imports.
Transfers from Tunisians residing abroad remain a breath of fresh air for the national economy, especially in a global economic context marked by major challenges.
They represent a valuable source of foreign currency and strengthen the resilience of the Tunisian economy against external pressures.
With these significant contributions, Tunisians abroad continue to be key players in supporting the country’s economic and financial stability.
