Innovative Financial Mechanisms to Leverage Tunisian Expatriates' Savings
Néjia Gharbi, General Director of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC), emphasized on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, that it is time to implement innovative financial mechanisms to channel the savings of Tunisian expatriates (TRE) into impact projects in the regions, capable of creating value and jobs.
Speaking at the Regional Days of Tunisians Abroad
Gharbi expressed herself during the Journées régionales des Tunisiens à l'étranger, organized by the Office des Tunisiens à l'étranger (OTE). For the CDC's General Director, the urgency is clear: it is necessary to make the transfer of funds from expatriates, often captured by everyday consumption, a true driver of economic development.
The CDC's Role in Mobilizing Resources
The CDC presents itself as a public investor committed to mobilizing resources to correct regional disparities. This ambition is based on the "Watani" program, a collaboration with the Agence française de développement (AFD) and Expertise France, which aims to better inform the diaspora and support entrepreneurial projects with impact.
Building an Ecosystem
For Gharbi, everything will depend on the ability to build a financial framework accessible to all TRE, where they can find reliable, well-structured, and easy-to-understand investment products, all supported by better articulation between the state and the private sector.
A Series of Regional Seminars
The Tunis meeting is part of a cycle of four regional seminars organized by the OTE from July 23 to August 6, 2026. After Tataouine (July 23) and Tunis (July 29), the next stages are Bizerte (August 4) and Kairouan (August 6).
Unlocking the Potential of Tunisian Expatriates' Savings
These initiatives open a window for Tunisian entrepreneurs: better directing the savings of the diaspora towards structured financial mechanisms - dedicated funds, investment guarantees, targeted savings products - could provide access to a source of capital that has been largely under-mobilized to finance regional projects, particularly in areas where access to traditional bank financing remains limited.
