Road Infrastructure Development: A Priority for the Government
In the interventions of deputies during the general session of November 16, 2025, a theme was repeatedly mentioned: roads, whether it's their maintenance, the creation of new routes, or the opening of rural roads. The Minister of Equipment and Housing, Slah Zouari, recalled that 40% of his budget is now dedicated to road infrastructure. This massive share reflects a new strategy: modernizing the national network, strengthening maintenance, developing expressways and highways, and especially installing a special system for rural roads to connect remote areas to essential services and urban centers.
Ongoing and Future Projects
The Minister described a map of the country in motion, traversed by projects in all regions. To support this new momentum, the priority is not only financial but also human: strengthening staff, particularly among engineers, works controllers, and technicians, becomes a necessity to follow the pace of construction sites correctly. The Minister confirmed the imminent launch of the Bou Salem - Fernana highway project (45 km), considered one of the most important in the program. He also announced the progress of the Kef highway (110 km), whose land acquisition procedure will start in early 2026. He then mentioned other structuring axes, such as:
- National Road 15 connecting Kasserine to Gabès via Gafsa
- National Road 16 connecting Gabès to the Algerian border via Kebili, currently in the study phase
Current Projects and Future Objectives
Meanwhile, a series of projects is already underway, from the new southern access to Tunis to the Korbous road, including the Jelma highway and the link to Bizerte. For the years 2026 to 2030, a strategic objective is imposed: to achieve 3,000 km of agricultural roads, a figure that illustrates the ambition to bring rural areas closer to economic networks.
