Digital Transformation: A Key Driver of the National Economy
The Minister of Communication Technologies, Sofiene Hemissi, stated that the digital sector is no longer just a technical field, but a crucial engine of the national economy and a central tool for the governance of public structures. This statement was made during a joint plenary session between the Assembly of the People's Representatives and the National Council of Regions and Governorates, dedicated to discussing the 2026 budget bill for the "Communication Technologies" mission.
Actions Undertaken by the Ministry
Minister Hemissi detailed the actions taken by the ministry, emphasizing the cross-cutting nature of information technologies, which are involved in 152 digitization projects covering various public sectors. He acknowledged that Tunisia had fallen behind in digitalization due to announced but unimplemented projects. Among the initiatives already implemented, he cited:
- University orientation
- Fiscal stamp for travel and consular services via the Econsulat platform
- The generalization of the interconnection platform for administrations, which now allows citizens to no longer provide documents already held by the state, covering over 80 services, in coordination with the Ministries of Interior, Higher Education, Social Affairs, and Employment.
Modernization of Public Services and Digital Infrastructure
For 2025, the ministry focused on relaunching delayed projects, such as the biometric identity card and passport, as well as modernizing the main information systems of the administration:
- Electronic medical record and digital hospital system
- Ejustice at the Ministry of Justice
- Digitization of land records and unique identification number Despite some administrative resistance, a clear roadmap has been defined for 2026.
Postal Services
On the postal front, the minister highlighted efforts to correct accumulated deficits, specifying that the creation of new post offices requires premises and personnel. A competition for 260 positions has been launched, with results to be published in the first quarter of 2026, and a second recruitment is planned. Modernization includes the installation of automatic distributors, with a second call for tenders to complete the deployment.
- The postal sector bill has been presented to the board of directors for adaptation to the reality of the concerned institutions
- The development of the Post Office Bank aims to combat financial exclusion, subject to resolving certain technical issues
Internet and Connectivity
Regarding the internet and connectivity, the minister indicated significant regional disparities and urged operators to respect their obligations. The deployment of fiber optics, deemed costly, benefits from an investment of around 300 million dinars by the national operator. He also announced measures to support associative radios (50% reduction in fees and debt planning), strengthen cybersecurity, establish a specification book for taxi applications, and impose parental control for internet subscriptions.
Support for Startups and Entrepreneurship
Finally, the minister mentioned support for startups and entrepreneurship, with the revision of the Startup Act underway, and the upcoming regularization of the situation of 657 postal employees on precarious contracts, with an individual examination of each file.
