Latest news in Tunisia? September 8th, 2026
08-09-2026
Key developments reported in and concerning Tunisia as of September 8, 2026:
- Energy & Cross-Border Exploration: Joint Oil, the bilateral venture between Tunisia (ETAP) and Libya (OLA Energy), launched a new international bidding round for exploration and development rights covering the offshore Zarat Discovery and the Joint Oil Block in the Gabes–Tripoli basin. In parallel, Tunisia’s Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy announced the allocation of 455 MW across 309 solar photovoltaic projects in its latest licensing round to bolster domestic renewable energy capacity. Megaproject+ 1
- Foreign Investment & Tech Discussions: Tunisian officials engaged with Chinese electric vehicle and tech giant BYD to explore potential industrial investments, including local electric infrastructure, assembly, and clean energy technology transfer. La Presse de Tunisie
- Press Freedom & Legal Developments: The Committee to Protect Journalists and the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) raised sharp concerns following the arrest and detention of investigative journalist Mohamed Yousfi on alleged financial charges, calling on authorities to end legal measures against critical media figures. Committee to Protect Journalists
- Domestic Finance: Official banking sector reports indicated a slight rise in non-professional consumer loans granted to individuals during the first half of 2026, reaching approximately 30.6 billion dinars amid persistent cost-of-living adjustments.
- Diplomatic Engagements: Following the Arab League ministerial session in Cairo, Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Nafti reiterated Tunisia’s firm stance on regional sovereignty issues and unreserved backing for Palestinian statehood. وكالة الانباء والمعلومات الفلسطينية – وفا