In a major step toward revitalizing the Tunisian economy and tackling unemployment, the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training has launched a €90 million programme aimed at enhancing business competitiveness and promoting economic empowerment through job creation. The initiative, financed by a loan agreement between Tunisia and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed in September 2024, was officially announced on Wednesday in Tunis by Minister Riadh Chaoued.
At the heart of the programme is a strategic agreement with the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (Banque Tunisienne de Solidarité – BTS), which will manage approximately €50 million of the funds to support the creation of around 13,000 enterprises between 2025 and 2027. The programme is designed to serve both aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in need of financial or material support.
Minister Chaoued highlighted that the programme marks a shift in government strategy, adopting a results-based approach where funding is contingent upon the achievement of specific development indicators. These include targets for complementary training, enterprise creation and self-employment. “This approach stems from lessons of the past, where loans were often misallocated or consumed without tangible results,” he said.
The initiative focuses on improving employability by equipping job seekers with market-relevant skills, supporting entrepreneurship and building institutional capacities to enhance the governance of employment and vocational training systems. Financing will be accessible on favourable terms: project initiators are not required to provide self-financing and loans will carry zero interest for up to 19 years.
Importantly, the programme is inclusive, targeting vulnerable groups such as youth, women, graduates and residents of rural areas. Special incentives will be offered for environmentally sustainable and socially impactful projects. Applicants can receive up to 200,000 Tunisian dinars in financing for equipment and working capital.
Director General of the Tunisian Solidarity Bank, Khelifa Sboui, confirmed that applications for funding will open on June 16 at BTS branches nationwide, with the first disbursements expected in the same week.
Minister Chaoued emphasized that the programme is not limited to new ventures. “It also supports existing enterprises facing difficulties, helping them maintain operations and preserve jobs,” he said. Eligible sectors include agriculture, manufacturing, services and the creative industries.
The programme aligns with the principles of the July 25, 2022 Constitution, which enshrines work as a constitutional right. “Our ministry is no longer confined to traditional roles of training and placement,” Chaoued noted. “We are now a key player in strengthening the national economic fabric by actively supporting enterprise development.”
Framed within the broader vision set by President Kais Saied, the initiative positions employment, production and private sector empowerment as pillars of a renewed social contract in Tunisia.
