German Foreign Minister Visits Tunis With Economy and Energy on the Agenda

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to Tunisia and Algeria with a business delegation, placing trade, investment and energy at the centre of the visit. Berlin wants to expand cooperation with the two North African neighbours and make greater use of growth opportunities around the Mediterranean.

In Tunis, Wadephul is scheduled to meet President Kaïs Saïed and Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti. The discussions are expected to cover regional stability and the situation in the Sahel, alongside economic and energy cooperation.

Germany considers Tunisia an important industrial partner. German carmakers already have components for their suppliers produced in Tunisia. Tunisians trained in Germany are also contributing to newer activities, particularly in the digital sector, where companies founded by German-educated Tunisians maintain close links with the German market.

The relationship also draws on tourism and exchanges in education and professional training. About 330,000 German tourists visit Tunisia each year. Wadephul is due to visit The Dot, an entrepreneurial centre in Tunis that connects entrepreneurs, universities and international partners. There he will meet business founders and former recipients of German Academic Exchange Service scholarship programmes.

Energy is another central subject. Germany wants to explore connecting Tunisia more closely to the European energy network and to develop renewable energy. The visit takes place as Germany and Tunisia mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which have expanded into economic, scientific, cultural and political cooperation.