The World Bank Group Board of Directors has approved $268.4 million in financing for the Tunisia-Italy interconnector (ELMED) project that will link energy grids between Tunisia and Europe. “By enabling trade in clean and competitive energy, the project boosts energy security, integrates renewable energy sources, and reduces carbon emissions while making the power sector more financially viable and attracting investments in Tunisia.”Project to diversify Tunisia’s energy mixAlexandre Arrobbio, the World Bank country manager for Tunisia, said ELMED is the first World Bank project under the recently announced 2023-27 Country Partnership Framework (CPF). Greece to be supplied with green energy from Egypt via undersea cableTechnical assistance by the World Bank Group will include helping to establish a renewable energy centre of excellence to position Tunisia as a training hub for renewable energy projects in North Africa. “The country’s recovery in the post-revolution transition drove a strong growth in energy demand. “While in 2010 the country relied only on 7% of imports to meet its energy demand, in 2014 imports satisfied more than 40% of national energy needs.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 26, 2023 15:33 UTC