On October 28, Minister of Equipment and Housing, Salah Zouari, announced plans to establish approximately 3,000 new industrial units in Medenine, Tunisia, which could create around 40,000 jobs. This announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the third Investment Days in Medenine, held in Zarzis. The minister emphasized that these projects aim to boost the region's industrial sector and provide new employment opportunities.
Currently, the Medenine governorate has around 80 industrial units employing nearly 4,000 people. However, the minister's announcement concerns new projects that have yet to be implemented, and some units have already begun operations with varying levels of employment. The Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII) keeps statistics on industrial enterprises with at least ten employees, but its latest update on Medenine dates back to March 2018.
The planned 3,000 industrial units and their potential 40,000 jobs have raised questions about the criteria used to define these projects. The publications consulted do not specify the employee threshold, the period of constitution of intentions, or their distribution by size. This lack of information makes it challenging to compare the existing industrial fabric with the new projects.
According to the minister, the average number of jobs per unit is around thirteen, based on the announced figures. However, this calculation only provides an order of magnitude and does not provide information on the diversity of projects or their state of progress. The list of promoters, the total investment amount, mobilized financing, and the realization calendar are not publicly available.
Minister Zouari called for accelerating procedures and resolving difficulties encountered by investors. He highlighted the opportunities offered by the Libyan market, port and airport infrastructure, and the need for qualified labor. The minister's statement emphasizes the importance of turning investment intentions into concrete projects.
Several industrial projects have already been launched in the region. In Zarzis, a food equipment manufacturing unit represents an investment of 2 million dinars and aims to employ 110 people. In Bougrara, a crab valorization unit, realized with 6 million dinars, currently employs 60 people and could reach 300 jobs. Another project concerns the production of halva, or "chamia," in Zarzis.
The halva production project, representing over 5 million dinars, has conducted an experimental operation and is expected to enter effective production in November. The unit plans to initially employ 40 people and aims to reach 200 jobs. The distinction between declared intentions and realized projects remains crucial, as investment intentions do not necessarily translate into operational enterprises or actual recruitments.
Key points
- Tunisia plans to establish 3,000 new industrial units in Medenine, potentially creating 40,000 jobs.
- The existing industrial fabric in Medenine comprises around 80 units employing nearly 4,000 people.
- The criteria used to define the new industrial projects, such as employee thresholds and project distribution, are not publicly available.
