Tunisia's Economy and Planning Minister, Samir Abdelfifiz, participated in the 11th annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Doha, Qatar, on September 28-29, 2026. The meeting was held under the theme "Infrastructure: Impact and Innovation." The minister was representing Tunisian President Kais Saied. The meeting focused on discussing ways to enhance sustainable infrastructure investment amid climate change by providing innovative financing solutions.
The meeting brought together governors of member countries, government representatives, private sector officials, and regional and international financial institutions. On September 27, 2026, Abdelfifiz met with AIIB President Zou Jiayi to discuss prospects for strengthening financial and technical cooperation between Tunisia and the bank. The minister highlighted progress in the bank's study on financing a urban transportation project in Tunisia, which would be the bank's first operation with Tunisia.
The AIIB is set to finance the urban transportation project in partnership with the World Bank. Zou Jiayi expressed the bank's commitment to consolidating its cooperation with Tunisia and studying project proposals in the infrastructure sector. The proposals would be in line with Tunisia's five-year development plan. The bank is willing to provide support for these projects. Abdelfifiz also met with the bank's team, led by Konstantin Limitovski, to discuss several projects in infrastructure, energy, and water sectors.
The minister discussed the AIIB's policy in these sectors. As part of bilateral relations, Abdelfifiz met with Qatar's Finance Minister, Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, who is also the chairman of the AIIB's board of governors. Both parties emphasized their desire to strengthen relations between Tunisia and Qatar. The Qatari minister highlighted the importance of Qatari investments in Tunisia and the need to diversify them.
Abdelfifiz also met with officials from the Qatar Development Fund to discuss the implementation of agreements related to the fund's contribution to financing agreed projects. Tunisia values the fund's support and seeks to develop cooperation in various fields. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has 57 member countries, with 46 having signed the bank's articles of agreement.
The bank was established to address the huge infrastructure gap in Asia, which is home to 63% of the world's population. The bank's operations are guided by its strategic priorities, which include sustainable infrastructure, cross-border connectivity, and private sector development. Tunisia's participation in the meeting reflects its commitment to international cooperation in the infrastructure sector.
The country's economy has been recovering gradually, with a growth rate of 2.3% in 2025. The government aims to boost economic growth through investments in infrastructure, energy, and other sectors. The AIIB's support would help Tunisia achieve its development goals.
Key points
- The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to finance a urban transportation project in Tunisia
- Tunisia, Qatar to strengthen bilateral relations
- AIIB's 11th annual meeting held in Doha, Qatar
