The World Bank has approved $332.5 million in financing for two projects aimed at improving water services and irrigation in Tunisia, with a focus on strengthening resilience to water scarcity and supporting rural livelihoods.
The projects form the first phase of the Tunisia Water Security and Resilience Program, which targets both urban and rural water challenges. The initiative is expected to create more than 4,000 permanent jobs and over 13,000 temporary positions.
According to the World Bank, the program is designed to improve access to potable water, modernise irrigation systems, and help Tunisia adapt to increasing climate pressures.
The $124 million Irrigation Water Security, Resilience and Value-Addition Project will focus on upgrading irrigation infrastructure in the governorates of Jendouba, Béja, Bizerte, and Siliana. It aims to improve water services and agricultural productivity, benefiting nearly 4,000 farmers directly and around 9,000 through additional support measures. The project is expected to generate about 3,400 permanent jobs and 7,000 temporary construction jobs.
The second project, valued at $208.5 million, will focus on improving potable water services and strengthening SONEDE's performance. Plans include expanding the Zarat seawater desalination plant in Gabès, doubling its capacity to 100,000 cubic meters per day, and upgrading distribution networks in Sfax, Tozeur, and Kebili.
The potable water project is expected to benefit around 2.3 million people, including 224,000 who will gain a continuous water supply and 440,000 who will see improved water quality. It is also projected to create about 600 permanent jobs and 6,000 temporary jobs.
The broader program has a planned budget of $700 million over 10 years and will be implemented in multiple phases. Future phases are expected to focus on sanitation, with Tunisia’s national sanitation utility, ONAS, playing a central role.
