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Foreign Direct Investment

In the context of social and political turmoil, FDI flows to Tunisia remain below their potential. According to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2022, FDI inflows to Tunisia were relatively stable in 2021, when they totalled USD 660 million, from 652 million one year earlier. The stock of FDIs reached USD 33.4 billion, almost 72% of the country’s GDP. According to the latest data by the Tunisian Investment Office, in 2022 FDI inflows to the country recorded a year-on-year increase of 18.4% to reach an amount of TND 2.214 billion. The manufacturing sector as a whole attracted most of the investments (58.7%). Of these, the electronics sector alone accounted for 48.3%, ahead of the mechanical, metal and metallurgical (14.8%) and plastics processing industries (10.4%). The rest of the inflows were divided among the energy sector (22.2%), services (18.7%), and agriculture (0.4%). In terms of countries, France was by far the main investor (more than one-third of total flows), ahead of Qatar, Italy, and Germany. The regional distribution confirms a great disparity among regions: more than 53% of FDI is concentrated in the Greater Tunis regions (mainly the governorate of Tunis) and in the Northeast region (29.5%).

The key assets of Tunisia are its proximity to Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, free trade agreements with the EU and much of Africa and an educated workforce. In recent years, the Tunisian government had carried out necessary structural reforms to improve Tunisia's business climate, including an improved bankruptcy law, an investment code and an initial 'negative list' and a law allowing for public-private partnerships. The government adopted laws allowing to start a business more easily (more services are available via the one-stop shop, and fees decreased); registering property is now faster and more transparent and paying taxes is easier (implementation of a risk-based tax audit system). Nevertheless, there are still huge bureaucratic barriers to investment. State-owned enterprises are a major player in the Tunisian economy and several sectors remain closed to foreign investment. The informal sector, estimated at between 40% and 60% of the overall economy, is still a concern since legal businesses are forced to compete with smuggled goods. Moreover, the country is facing high political and social instability, unemployment, inflation, and rising levels of public debt. Tunisia ranks at 107th spot out of 177 countries in the 2022 Index of Economic Freedom and 70th out of 180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index.

 
 
Foreign Direct Investment 202020212022
FDI Inward Flow (million USD) 652660713
FDI Stock (million USD) 37,95538,93339,467
Number of Greenfield Investments* 10814
Value of Greenfield Investments (million USD) 479276409

Source: UNCTAD - Latest available data.

Note: * Greenfield Investments are a form of Foreign Direct Investment where a parent company starts a new venture in a foreign country by constructing new operational facilities from the ground up.

Country Comparison For the Protection of Investors Tunisia Middle East & North Africa United States Germany
Index of Transaction Transparency* 6.0 6.4 7.0 5.0
Index of Manager’s Responsibility** 7.0 4.8 9.0 5.0
Index of Shareholders’ Power*** 5.0 4.7 9.0 5.0

Source: Doing Business - Latest available data.

Note: *The Greater the Index, the More Transparent the Conditions of Transactions. **The Greater the Index, the More the Manager is Personally Responsible. *** The Greater the Index, the Easier it Will Be For Shareholders to Take Legal Action.

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What to consider if you invest in Tunisia

Strong Points

Advantages for FDI in Tunisia:

  • The solvency of the country gives it access to international capital markets and allows it to find its place in the world economy
  • The growing diversification of the economy (tourism, mining production developed in phosphates and oil sectors, etc.) strengthens its resistance to economic crises
  • Support from the IMF and other international institutions
  • The economy can rely on a young, fairly skilled and productive workforce at competitive pay levels
  • The country's proximity to the European market and its association agreement with the EU: the capital city Tunis is, on average, two hours flight from the main European capitals
  • The social system is well developed and an ambitious education policy has been launched; it aims to reduce the social cost of adjustment and strengthen the modernisation of the country
  • The political transition has been gradual and relatively peaceful (in comparison with Egypt and Libya, for example), creating a generally positive business environment
  • The country is rich in natural resources, including phosphates and hydrocarbons.
Weak Points

Disadvantages for FDI in Tunisia:

  • Economic reform in Tunisia has not kept pace with political reform since the revolution of 2011
  • Issues of corruption and nepotism
  • High social and geographical inequalities, which may be exacerbated after the COVID-19 crisis
  • Prohibitive customs and tax regimes continue to pose barriers to small and medium-sized enterprises
  • Structural imbalances in the public and external accounts, with a significant increase in external debt
  • State-owned enterprises still play a large role in Tunisia’s economy; many sectors remain closed to foreign investment
  • The informal sector is large (estimated at 40-60% of the economy by the U.S. State Department)
  • The high level of youth unemployment, as well as unemployment among those with university degrees (about a third of the unemployed), are seen as potential risks to social and economic stability
  • The country's high public debt and the great dependence on the European economy make the Tunisian economy vulnerable.
Government Measures to Motivate or Restrict FDI
Over the last few decades, Tunisia has chosen to further liberalise its economy and to integrate it into the world economy. A new competition law cancelled previous provisions that fixed prices, limited the entry of companies into certain sectors and controlled production, distribution, investment, etc.
Furthermore, Tunisia adopted a new investment law that simplifies the procedures for obtaining licenses, permits and investment authorisations and limits restrictions on the hiring of foreign workers. The law created the High Investment Board as a central body to replace the multitude of administrative bodies that previously issued these required documents. The hiring of foreign workers is also made easier by this law, adding an element of flexibility to what are otherwise the most rigid labour market regulations in the MENA region. Other initiatives include a new bankruptcy law, an investment code and a law enabling public-private partnerships. The Tunisian Parliament also passed law 2019-47, which contains 38 amendments to address shortcomings in existing laws and regulations that impeded investment.

Tunisia has free trade zones (known as Parcs d’Activités Economiques) in Bizerte and in Zarzis, where companies are exempt from taxes and customs duties and benefit from unrestricted foreign exchange transactions. The production in these zones has limited duty-free entry into Tunisia for the purpose of transformation and re-export.

Further information is available on the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) website.

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Investment Opportunities

The Key Sectors of the National Economy
Energy, textiles and clothing, tourism, automotive parts, and other light manufacturing activities.
High Potential Sectors
Electronics, call centers, aerospace and aeronautics, agro-food.
Privatization Programmes
Privatisation programs took place in several sectors, including: cement works (Carthage Cement), electricity production (STEG), construction of motorways, banks (STB, BH, BNA), wastewater treatment and solid waste, telecommunications, desalination of water, fuel distribution, banking and insurance (Banque de Tunisie and Zitouna Bank), etc.
The government is expected to sell more of its stakes in state-owned banks, although no clear schedule has been announced so far.
Tenders, Projects and Public Procurement
Tenders Info, Tenders in Tunisia
 GlobalTenders, Tenders & Projects in Tunisia
 Prime Ministry, Public Procurement Site of Tunisia
 DgMarket, Tenders Worldwide
 

Sectors Where Investment Opportunities Are Fewer

Monopolistic Sectors
State-owned companies still play a prominent role in the Tunisian economy. Some of them work in monopoly, mostly in sectors considered sensitive by the government, such as railroad transportation, water and electricity distribution, port logistics, importation of basic food staples and strategic items.
Other state-owned companies compete with the private sector (i.e. in the telecommunications, banking, and insurance businesses).
Sectors in Decline
Leather and shoe industry, paper, cardboard, plastic, wood, and construction materials.
 

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