On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its intervention in Tunisia, the French Development Agency (AFD) organized a conference on June 28, 2022 at the Cité des Sciences in Tunis on the theme: “Climate, environment, biodiversity: priorities for the Planet, actions for Tunisia” in which several Tunisian and French personalities participated and around 200 experts and decision-makers involved in these issues throughout the day.
Present for the opening of the conference, Mr. André Parant, Ambassador of France in Tunisia, welcomed the organization of this conference on the issues of climate, environment and biodiversity, which are “fundamental for the future of Tunisia and at the heart of the priorities of French diplomacy”.
For 30 years, AFD has been working in Tunisia to reduce socio-economic vulnerabilities, but also to help preserve biodiversity and fight against climate change, in order to allow Tunisia fair and sustainable development. A partnership that has grown considerably since 2011, with nearly 2 billion euros in 10 years, 130 projects funded, and concrete results for thousands of Tunisians. Mr. Parant also added: “For 30 years, France, through AFD, has been investing in Tunisia for sustainable development, encouraging resilient investments, supporting the energy transition of public actors and supporting civil society committed to the ‘environment. »
Tunisia is considered among the Mediterranean countries most exposed to climate change. Mr. Elyes Hamza, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, thus indicated: “climate change is now a reality” and he recalled that it was “urgent to help farmers to adapt, through greater mobilization of water resources and better management of demand”.
During the closing round table of the conference, Mr. Samir Saied, Ministry of Economy and Planning, indicated that “on 4th axis of the 2035 vision being developed concerns the environment”, in order to ensure a trajectory of sustainable development in Tunisia.
Mr. Christian YOKA, Africa Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), for his part underlined that given the importance of these challenges, “we must act today, to find and support all the forces of change to influence our global trajectory and adapt as quickly as possible to the already irreversible impacts of our past trajectories”. He also indicated that “AFD will stand alongside Tunisia and Tunisians, over the next 30 years I hope, to meet these major challenges and engage in resilient development”.