Positioning Tunisia as a Sustainable and Competitive Automotive Hub
The 9th Ordinary General Assembly of the Tunisian Automotive Association (TAA) was held in Tunis on September 25, 2025, with the ambitious goal of positioning Tunisia as a hub for sustainable and competitive automotive innovation, creating highly skilled jobs, and promoting high standards of responsibility throughout the supply chain.
Transformation of the Automotive Sector
"We are facing a significant transformation of the automotive sector, with a trend towards software development and the dominance of the Chinese industry. We must remain vigilant and attentive to market signals. With our strengths, we have the capacity to impose ourselves as a true regional innovation platform," stated Lamia Fourati and Imed Charfeddine, Vice-Presidents of the TAA, addressing the association's members and partners.
Automotive Academy and Smart City
"We must respond to the needs of nearshoring. There are many opportunities in Africa and great avenues for cooperation with southern countries in terms of training, support for exhibitions, regulation... Tunisia is capable of accompanying the Asian automotive sector and creating new opportunities for TAA members," they emphasized.
According to them, the Tunisian Automotive Management Academy (TAMA) is a strong pillar of the association, but it must adapt to the demand for AI, international certifications, data systems, and new applications. "This is a capital to be developed in parallel with structuring projects, including the Automotive Smart City, the reference framework for professions and skills (over 30 jobs of tomorrow), the sectoral directory (source book), personalized ESG/RSE support, responsible supply chain qualification, industrial competitiveness and innovation, compliance, and access to markets," they added.
Attracting Investments
The TAA is consolidating Tunisia's role in the automotive sector. In 2024-2025, the TAA multiplied its efforts: monthly meetings, constant exchanges, and close cooperation with its partners, including German cooperation. The association pursued its mission: to enhance the entire Tunisian automotive value chain. Its action goes beyond borders. The TAA marked its presence at major international events: IAA Mobility in Munich, E-Mobility Show in Uganda, and IATF in Algiers. These participations are not symbolic; they reinforce Tunisia's geostrategic position in Africa and Europe. Results: first, more investments in Tunisian industrial sites; second, new technological partnerships; and third, a surge in the power of local factories, recognized as innovative and pioneering in the region.
A Place in the Sun
The event was an opportunity to discuss and approve the moral and financial reports, to pass the torch from one auditor to another, and to sign structuring partnership agreements with the RSCI and the Tunisian-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK), with the aim of strengthening economic cooperation focused on technological and environmental impact on the sector.
The event also hosted a panel titled "Driving Responsibility: The Future of Tunisian Automotive Supply Chains," organized in collaboration with The Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) to highlight the challenges and opportunities related to responsible supply chains.
Reminder
The Tunisian automotive sector accounts for nearly 80% of the country's industrial exports, with a business volume estimated at 4 billion dinars by the end of 2025, contributing 4% to the national GDP. It comprises around 300 companies and employs over 100,000 people, including between 12,000 and 15,000 specialized engineers. This evolution is driven by targeted Research & Development initiatives, particularly on projects focused on driver assistance systems, predictive maintenance, and intelligent mobility platforms, favoring the establishment of new international subsidiaries in Tunisia.
Testimonials
- Myriam Elloumi, President of the TAA: "Positioning Tunisia in the automotive industry of the future" "2025 has been a year that has seen many initiatives to strengthen the TAA ecosystem. My gratitude to all members of our association for their involvement and the added value they have brought to the sector. Among the highlights of our mandate, we must mention the addition of the 6th pillar of sustainability to the sector's competitiveness pact, the Automotive Smart City project, the focus on innovation, and support for the Tunisian automotive sector in terms of sustainable development. This is a rise in competitiveness and innovation that has been accompanied by an effort to improve the visibility of the Tunisian automotive sector, particularly through participation in numerous international events. Our overall goal has been to position Tunisia at the forefront of the future automotive industry."
- Wissem Badri, Treasurer of the TAA: "For the emergence of a first-rate automotive manufacturer in Tunisia" "This 9th AGO reminds us of the beginning in 2016 when the automotive sector, although very promising, was not sufficiently framed by the government. That's where we created this association. I was there, DG of a multinational company based in Tunisia, with the other members we established a strategy, we contacted investors. After 4 to 5 years, our association had already become a key interlocutor for every investor, with the government and FIPA. This 9th edition is, like every year, an opportunity to bring together all members to evaluate achievements, clarify challenges, and launch future projects. Each time, we notice a greater involvement, particularly for the emergence of a first-rate automotive manufacturer in Tunisia."
- Fatma Kolsi, DG of the TAA: "We are oriented towards added value and electric vehicles" "The TAA has brought about many changes in 2024-2025 with a very united team. We have felt an intensification of interest in our association. We have received Chinese investors and noted their interest. There is a stir, as our message was clear: we are very active, listening to the market. This proactivity positions us as co-development partners with Europe and Asia, implying Research & Development, particularly in the field of software. We are oriented towards added value and electric vehicles, while the reality of the 18 million automobiles currently in circulation worldwide encourages us to position ourselves in this area."
