The Tunisian government has launched the 'Smart Sustainable Infrastructures' project, aimed at supporting companies and economic actors in their transition to sustainability. The project, which will run for seven months until April 2027, is part of the "CréAfrique 2.0" program and seeks to bring together companies, start-ups, researchers, universities, experts, and project leaders to develop solutions addressing real economic problems in Tunisia.
The project targets 500 young people and project leaders, involving 100 experts and researchers, communicating with 50 companies, supporting 15 projects, and organizing visits to 12 cities. The project's leader, Fatma Attia, stated that the initiative aims to articulate the concerns of researchers, project leaders, and companies, transforming them into applicable solutions linked to the Tunisian economy.
A caravan for corporate social responsibility (CSR) will tour 12 cities, including Bizerte, Tunis, Sousse, Mahdia, Sfax, Djerba, Gabès, Tozeur, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan, Le Kef, and Béja. The goal is to listen to local actors, identify sustainability issues in each region, and work towards finding solutions adapted to their economic specificities.
The project is structured around four main axes: raising awareness about sustainability issues, measuring the level of practices, needs, and challenges among companies, stimulating innovation to develop adapted solutions, and building the necessary capacities and skills to accompany future changes. The project focuses on five main areas: employability, training, innovation, scientific research, and entrepreneurship.
The 'UGC Innovation Lab' is a key component of the project, bringing together companies, start-ups, experts, researchers, and students to identify problems, formulate solutions, and test prototypes before implementation. A scientific committee comprising researchers and experts will oversee this methodology and follow its implementation phases.
The project includes the establishment of a participatory research space in collaboration with the Center for Economic and Social Research (CERES), targeting the publication of 10 scientific articles. The project also involves analyzing data collected during its different phases and creating a national guide of best practices in CSR and sustainability.
The project has three main deadlines: its official launch on October 2, 2026, the organization of the "Hackathon 2.0" on January 30-31, 2027, and the closing forum, "Innovation for Smart Sustainable Infrastructures," on April 20-21, 2027. The project's outcomes will be presented during the closing forum.
Key points
- The project aims to support 500 young people and project leaders in their transition to sustainability.
- The project will run for seven months until April 2027.
- The initiative seeks to develop solutions addressing real economic problems in Tunisia.
