Tunisia has significantly strengthened its trade relations with Russia in the first ten months of 2023. Tunisia’s imports from Russia increased by 140%, according to statistics from the Tunisian Ministry of Economy,
Following the breakdown of trade relations with Ukraine, Tunisia sees trade with Russia as a crucial alternative, accounting for 9.1% of its total imports at the end of October.
Russian products in high demand include gas, oil, grain and fertilizers, which are valued for their lower cost compared to Western countries as a result of the sanctions imposed on Moscow.
Despite Tunisia’s efforts to improve its agricultural productivity, particularly in the production of olive oil, wine and dates, the country continues to import Russian grain.
As for Tunisia’s Russian fuel imports, they exploded in 2023 as a result of the Ukrainian conflict, rising from less than 2,700 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2022 to 66,300 barrels a year later, according to data from S&P Global Commodity Insights.
In addition, Tunisia has positioned itself as the second most popular African country for Russian tourists in 2023, according to the Association of Tour Operators in Russia (ATOR).
Before the COVID-19 crisis, around 50,000 Russian tourists chose Tunisia as their holiday destination, a figure that doubled after the crisis.
