Once a cornerstone of Tunisia’s economic, social, and later environmental strategies for decades, the Development Plan had been shelved for some time. Now, it appears to be emerging from obscurity to once again become the driving force behind the country’s growth.
This will be a five-year framework spanning 2026-2030, designed to align all development approaches at an agreed-upon pace and coherence. Its stages and trajectory will follow a well-defined agenda.
Economy and Planning Minister Samir Abdelhafidh is leading the drafting process, emphasizing that this plan should be an opportunity for structured, best-practice planning. The goal is to avoid past shortcomings that hindered the achievement of desired objectives and created significant disparities between regions and social groups. Thus, identifying solutions and new approaches is crucial to fostering integrated and equitable growth within the framework of national unity.
On Friday, the minister chaired the 4th Regional Forum for the governorates of Sfax, Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa, and Tozeur to prepare the 2026-2030 Development Plan.
He stated that the new plan is part of building a citizen-centric system, where local, regional, and elected district councils play a pivotal and harmonious role.
These councils are tasked with drafting project proposals for development plans while reinforcing their role in a progressive process that upholds national unity.
He added that public authorities and institutions will work to support local, regional, and district councils by providing all necessary resources for drafting development plans.
All departments under the Ministry of Economy and Planning, along with relevant public institutions, will supply studies, statistics, and available data, in addition to technical support through training sessions for council members.
This effort is being carried out in cooperation with the Center for Training and Support for Decentralization (CFAD) and the Ministry of the Interior.
The objective, he said, is to prepare the development plans using a scientific, coherent, and effective approach.
A Participatory approach
Like its predecessors, the government’s Development Plan is based on a participatory approach involving all stakeholders, sectors, and regions.
This approach emphasizes the need for a new methodology based on qualitative objectives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the same time, the government’s key development priorities and planned reforms, within a broader vision of comprehensive and sustainable development, focus this time on advancing the energy transition process, combating climate change, particularly in water resource management, developing basic infrastructure, improving the business and investment climate, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), reforming public enterprises, digitizing and streamlining administrative services, liberalizing entrepreneurship and enhancing social conditions.
Undoubtedly, identifying priorities and objectives will be essential to maximizing economic and social returns.
Tunisia’s international partners are expected to align their coordination and consultations with these national priorities to ensure the implementation of programs that help achieve the desired goals.
