The automotive components sector is undeniably crucial for Tunisia. It includes over 200 companies, employs more than 95,000 people, and generates revenues exceeding 2.4 billion euros, accounting for more than 16% of the country’s exports.
That said, the sector is undergoing significant changes and facing critical challenges due to new criteria imposed by manufacturers, alongside the need to innovate and stay up-to-date.
Thus, Tunisia aims to remain a reference hub that continues to attract manufacturers to maintain its regional position.
However, this is a difficult challenge without state support, at least through amendments to laws, streamlined procedures, and reduced bureaucracy.
Lack of operational skills in labor market
Sabri Brahem, a member of the Tunisian Auotomotive Association – TAA) and a manager at the global group Dräxlmaier in Tunisia, stated that the automotive sector has been facing a global crisis for about a year, which also affects Tunisia due to international political, economic, and security challenges.
Speaking on Express FM, he emphasized that despite the difficulties, significant opportunities exist and can be leveraged in the sector.
According to him, these cyclical challenges can be overcome, and Tunisian companies are adapting without being severely impacted.
He highlighted that the automotive sector in Tunisia employs between 100,000 and 110,000 people, including approximately 12,000 to 15,000 engineers and managers, who can be recruited without major difficulties.
However, he warned of a future problem related to the availability of both skilled and unskilled labor, primarily due to demographic factors.
He also mentioned the lack of immediately operational skills in the labor market, which has led to initiatives to involve companies more in skill development and engineer training.
Finally, Brahem stressed that the automotive industry is an attractive sector not only in Tunisia but also globally. However, it is necessary to enhance this attractiveness and work on retaining Tunisian talent and integrating them into the sector.
Tunisia: A preferred destination for international automotive operators
In truth, Tunisia has always been a preferred destination for international players in the automotive sector. It has long been considered a growing market that once supported the development of the automotive industry and now shares a common vision for the future of reinvented, responsible, and more equitable mobility.
Tunisia has consistently looked beyond its borders to develop its export capabilities and establish a strong subcontracting base to attract automotive manufacturers.
It has also implemented training programs for engineers and technicians to increase the supply of services represented by a lower-cost workforce and favorable investment conditions, but above all, to develop a clean and growth-generating national industry.
Tunisia benefits from strategic geographic proximity to European countries and has signed free trade agreements with markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and the European Union (…).
