On Wednesday in Tunis, the Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Salah Zouaoui, announced the launch of a program designed to accompany Tunisian institutions towards Industry 4.0. This initiative embodies a fundamental ambition to tangibly support industrial institutions in their technological transformations and enhance their competitiveness. The program includes three mechanisms: a "Fourth-Generation Industry Unit," an "Industry 4.0 Label," and a "Tima" smart manufacturing assessment tool.
The "Tima" tool is a national digital mechanism and methodology for assessing the digital maturity of institutions and guiding their transformation paths. It will be used through a network of Industry 4.0 competence centers in various locations including Sousse, Sfax, Banzert, Sidi Thabet, and Monastir. This initiative falls under the national "Towards Industry 4.0" program launched by the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy with support from the European Union in Tunisia and the "Decent Work for a Just Transition" initiative.
The launch of these mechanisms crowns a continuous dynamic since 2018 that has contributed to enhancing the capabilities of industrial institutions, supporting them in their transition towards Industry 4.0, developing competencies, and supporting the emergence of a system of startups specialized in modern technologies. This has helped establish the foundations of a comprehensive national system for industrial digital transformation.
According to Minister Zouaoui, the transformation to Industry 4.0 cannot be led by the state alone but involves institutions, technology centers, universities, training structures, startups, and international partners. The Fourth-Generation Industry Unit, overseen by the Industrial Promotion and Renewal Agency, will help institutions identify the competencies, solutions, and forms of support they need.
Tunisia, with its diverse industrial fabric, recognized manufacturing expertise, and skilled engineers and technicians, is encouraged to leverage digitalization to achieve Industry 4.0 goals. The national "Towards Industry 4.0 in Tunisia" initiative, launched in 2018, has yielded tangible results, including the establishment of five competence centers that have supported nearly 400 institutions and trained over 2,900 professionals.
The European Union's ambassador to Tunisia, Giuseppe Perrone, reaffirmed the EU's commitment to continuing its support for the modernization of Tunisia's industry. He noted that this effort is part of a long-standing partnership that has enabled Tunisian industrial products to export to European markets. The current program, implemented by the German Development Cooperation Agency at a cost of 11 million euros, aims to enhance the competitiveness of Tunisian institutions.
The program's primary goal is to strengthen the competitive capacity of Tunisian institutions, particularly regarding exports to the European market. This cooperation not only involves providing technology but also aims to transform production methods and achieve better integration into local and international value chains, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Tunisian institutions.
Key points
- The program includes three main mechanisms to support Tunisian institutions in their transition to Industry 4.0.
- The initiative has already shown positive results since its launch in 2018, including the training of over 2,900 professionals.
- The program is supported by the European Union and the German Development Cooperation Agency with a budget of 11 million euros.
