Rabat:The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is assisting Tunisia in transforming expatriate remittances into productive investments and developing new green financing mechanisms. This initiative was confirmed by Samia Mansour Hamouda, Economic Affairs Officer at the Commission, during the 41st session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) for North Africa in Rabat, Morocco.

According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse – English, these efforts are part of Tunisia's 2026-2030 Development Plan, emphasizing two key cooperation areas. The first focus is on utilizing remittances from Tunisian expatriates, which constitute approximately 6.5% of the nation's GDP, to fund investment projects. As of September 30, remittances totaled TND 7 million ($2.4 billion) and have been growing at an annual rate of at least 5%.

The ECA is collaborating with Tunisia's Ministry of Economy and Planning to establish mechanisms that encourage the investment of diaspora savings within Tunisia. This includes creating an appropriate institutional, legal, and financial framework, and developing specialized financing tools like a fund for Tunisian expatriates. The ultimate goal is to direct part of the savings from Tunisians abroad, especially those in Europe, towards high value-added investments in Tunisia.

The second pillar of cooperation involves green financing. The ECA and Tunisia are working to establish the necessary institutional and strategic conditions for a potential green bond issuance by 2028. This initiative aims to diversify funding sources for development and leverage additional public financing resources to support investment in priority sectors and sustainable development projects.

These efforts are intended to enhance Tunisia's capacity to mobilize innovative funding and support economic development by harnessing diaspora resources and expanding funding mechanisms.