As part of the summit between the European Union and Tunisia held in Brussels on 3 and 4 June, His Excellency Kais Saied, President of the Republic of Tunisia, met with European Investment Bank (EIB) President Werner Hoyer on Thursday 3 June. The meeting focused on the partnership between Tunisia and the EIB, the country’s main financial partner.

On this occasion, Werner Hoyer highlighted the fact that the EIB – the EU bank – has been present in Tunisia for more than 40 years and indicated that it will continue to assist the country with its socioeconomic development. He also reaffirmed EIB's support for enabling Tunisia to benefit fully from the renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood, particularly in the areas of climate and environmental action and social infrastructure.

The two Presidents had an exchange of views on how the EIB can best support the Tunisian economy in the face of the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis, and reviewed priority investment sectors.

In this regard, Werner Hoyer reiterated the EIB’s willingness to step up its investments in the health and education sectors and to help the country with its green transition by developing rail transport and renewable energy production.

The EIB President also stressed the need to speed up project implementation to enable EIB loans to Tunisia to be disbursed.

The meeting was an opportunity to take stock of the excellent long-standing relationship between Tunisia and the EIB. The Bank carried out its first operation in Tunisia in 1979 and, with a cumulative investment amount exceeding €6 billion, the country remains the largest beneficiary of EIB financing per capita outside the European Union. In particular, the EIB has financed projects in the fields of health, education, transport, urban development, energy, water and sanitation in cooperation with the European Commission. It also supports entrepreneurship and innovation with credit lines to Tunisian financial institutions and stakes in investment funds.