Tunisian Economy and Planning Minister Samir Abdelfifiz has participated in the 11th Annual Meetings of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Doha, Qatar, from September 28-29, 2026. The meetings were held under the theme "Infrastructure: Impact and Innovation." Minister Abdelfifiz was appointed by President Kais Saied to represent Tunisia at the event. The meetings focused on discussing ways to enhance sustainable infrastructure investments amid climate change by providing innovative financing solutions.
The annual meetings brought together governors of AIIB member countries, government representatives, private sector officials, and regional and international financial institutions. On September 27, Minister Abdelfifiz met with AIIB President Zou Jiayi to explore opportunities for strengthening financial and technical cooperation between Tunisia and the bank. They discussed ways to enhance collaboration in the coming phase. The minister acknowledged the progress made in studying the bank's potential contribution to financing an urban transportation project in Tunisia.
The urban transportation project is expected to be the first operation by the AIIB with the Tunisian state, with financing planned in partnership with the World Bank. Zou Jiayi emphasized the bank's commitment to consolidating its cooperation with Tunisia and expressed readiness to examine project proposals in the infrastructure sector. These proposals are part of Tunisia's five-year development plan. The bank aims to provide support for these projects.
Minister Abdelfifiz also met with a team from the AIIB, led by Konstantin Limitovski, the Chief Executive Officer for Investment Operations. They discussed several projects to be implemented in infrastructure, energy, and water sectors, as well as the AIIB's policy in these areas. The minister highlighted the importance of Qatar's investments in Tunisia and the need to diversify and enhance them.
As part of bilateral relations, Minister Abdelfifiz met with Qatari Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, who is also the chairman of the AIIB's board of governors for this cycle. Both parties emphasized their desire to further strengthen relations between the two countries, serving their common interests. The Qatari finance minister expressed his country's commitment to supporting Tunisia's development.
Minister Abdelfifiz also held a meeting with officials from the Qatar Development Fund, where he stressed the significance of implementing agreements related to the fund's contribution to financing agreed-upon projects. He expressed Tunisia's desire to further develop cooperation with the fund in various available fields. The two parties discussed ways to enhance collaboration and support development projects in Tunisia.
The meetings provided a platform for Tunisia to discuss its development priorities and explore opportunities for cooperation with the AIIB and other stakeholders. The country's participation in the annual meetings reflects its commitment to engaging with international financial institutions to support its development agenda. Tunisia aims to leverage the AIIB's expertise and resources to advance its infrastructure development goals.
Key points
- Tunisian Economy Minister Samir Abdelfifiz participates in the 11th Annual Meetings of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Doha, Qatar.
- The meetings focus on sustainable infrastructure investments amid climate change.
- Tunisia and the AIIB discuss potential cooperation on urban transportation and other infrastructure projects.
