Tunisia Awaits European Funds to Develop Energy Sector, Curb Migration

The Italy-Africa summit with the participation of many officials (Tunisian presidency)
The Italy-Africa summit with the participation of many officials (Tunisian presidency)
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Tunisia Awaits European Funds to Develop Energy Sector, Curb Migration

The Italy-Africa summit with the participation of many officials (Tunisian presidency)
The Italy-Africa summit with the participation of many officials (Tunisian presidency)

– Tunisian President Kais Saied participated in the Italy-Africa summit in Rome, held under the "Mattei Plan for Africa," in the presence of 27 heads of state and government.

The summit comes amid disagreements over illegal migration and the demand of the South countries for financial aid to provide employment opportunities to curb the phenomenon from growing.

Top officials on both sides of the Mediterranean want to benefit from this international gathering to achieve the development goals in energy in the long and medium term. They also seek to launch a new phase of cooperation.

The summit considers issues affecting Africa and Europe, including climate change, food security, irregular migration, and clean energy.

Several observers believe the summit aims to secure the European Union's energy supplies and accelerate development in African countries. They also think it seeks to slow down migration flows toward Europe.

However, many do not believe the summit will result in immediate decisions due to the conflict of interests between the two parties.

It may also apply to a large extent to Tunisia following the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between Tunisia and Europe.

Italy, which leads the list of European negotiators, is seeking to curb the flow of migrants to its coasts and is brandishing a crucial financial aid package to achieve this goal. Still, Rome seeks to ensure the flow of energy after the shock that the markets experienced as a result of the outbreak of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Saied stressed the importance of energy development, highlighting Tunisia's keenness to provide a sound and appropriate investment climate to encourage businessmen to establish partnerships and exchange relations with their Tunisian counterparts in promising sectors such as renewable energy, water desalination, health, and pharmaceuticals.

Tunisian energy expert Ghazi bin Jami said Tunis plans to enhance work on investment in renewable energy in the coming years, explaining that the national energy plan aims to reduce the country's dependence on gas production.

Bin Jami told Tunisian News Agency (TAP) highlighting the importance of overcoming the structural challenges by working to produce alternative energies, such as solar and wind energy.

The ELMED Interconnector Project between Tunisia and Italy is a planned bi-directional power exchange link among the most critical projects.

Italian electricity transmission system operator Terna and Tunisian state-owned electricity and gas utility company STEG will develop the project.

However, Tunisian authorities hope this summit would go beyond investing in energy to demanding a radical treatment of illegal migration from the coast of Tunisia towards Italy.

Last July, Rome hosted a conference that resulted in a preliminary agreement to confront the influx of the growing number of migrants to Europe.

The meeting agreed to provide the necessary funding for aiding countries of origin and transit for asylum.

The conference was held with the participation of 20 countries to reduce irregular migration and build partnerships in agriculture, infrastructure, and health sectors.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni promised to hold a donors conference on undocumented migration.

Saied said that the issue of such migration cannot be solved through unilateral movements, describing it as a "form of modern slavery."

Seven months ago, Tunisia and the EU signed a "strategic partnership" deal that includes combatting human traffickers and tightening borders during a sharp increase in boats leaving the North African nation for Europe.

Europe also pledged to provide aid worth $1.1 billion to support the Tunisian economy.

The Italian authorities say that about 80,000 people crossed the Mediterranean and reached the coast of Italy during the first half of last year, compared to 33,000 during the same period in 2022, most of whom set off from the Tunisian coast.



Syria Joins a Donor Conference for the First Time in a Crucial Phase for Its New Leaders

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
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Syria Joins a Donor Conference for the First Time in a Crucial Phase for Its New Leaders

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)

International donors gathered on Monday in a show of support for Syria, hoping to encourage the new leaders of the conflict-ravaged country toward a peaceful political transition following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani attended the conference — the ninth of its kind — in a first for a top official from Damascus.

But the United States, one of Syria’s top donors, wasn’t expected to offer assistance as the Trump administration is reviewing all foreign aid. It contributed almost $1.2 billion to Syria and the region last year.

Ministers and representatives from Western partners, Syria’s regional neighbors, other Arab countries and UN agencies also attended the one-day meeting in Brussels, organized in haste by the European Union amid change sweeping the country.

Opening the meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU was increasing its pledge to Syrians in the country and the region to almost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) for 2025 and 2026.

“We call on all of you who are here today to do the same, if possible, because at this critical time, the people of Syria need us more than ever,” von der Leyen said.

Syria's new leaders are trying to consolidate control over territory that was divided into de facto mini-states during nearly 14 years of civil war, and to rebuild the economy and infrastructure. The United Nations has estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria, while experts say that could reach at least $400 billion.

At the same time, Western governments are cutting back on aid spending, in part to use in defense budgets.

“We will give more, but we cannot fill the gap left by the US,” EU Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib told reporters. "We will need to share the burden.”

Security concerns are also making donors hesitate. Earlier this month, an ambush on a Syrian security patrol by gunmen loyal to Assad triggered clashes. Some factions allied with the new government launched sectarian revenge attacks — primarily targeting Assad’s Alawite minority sect — that monitoring groups say killed hundreds of civilians over several days.

The EU said that it will only support “a peaceful and inclusive transition, away from malign foreign interference, which guarantees the rights of all Syrians without distinction of any kind.”

The 27-nation bloc has begun to ease energy, transport and financial sector sanctions to encourage the new authorities, but many other Western sanctions remain in place. The EU can reintroduce sanctions if things don’t go to the liking of Western backers.

Syria's foreign minister said that lifting the measures is no longer just a government demand but "a humanitarian and moral necessity.”

"We cannot talk about economic recovery and humanitarian development in Syria while restrictions continue to prevent even the arrival of medical equipment and spare parts to repair damaged hospitals and essential service facilities,” he said.

Syria's economy, infrastructure and institutions are in tatters. As a failed state, it could become another haven for extremists.

Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration, urged donors to seize this opportunity to encourage the interim government to move in the right direction.

“It’s critical that countries take advantage of the moment we’re in,” Pope told The Associated Press.

“Of course, we all want to see an inclusive Syria,” she said. “We want to make sure there’s accountability for human rights violations. But the answer is to engage more, not to engage less.”

Syrians have only a few hours of electricity each day. Water supplies are unreliable and often unsafe. Unemployment runs to 80% or 90%. Destruction is widespread.

Many government employees and experts needed to rebuild fled after the 2011 peaceful anti-regime protests were violently quelled by Assad, leading to the conflict.

The UN refugee agency said that last year around 7 million people were displaced in Syria. More than 4.7 million refugees are registered in neighboring countries, most in Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan.

The German government said that it would pledge around 300 million euros ($326 million) to help deal with the fallout from Syria’s civil war. More than half will be used to help people in Syria, with other funding supporting Syrians and communities elsewhere.

Monday's conference was also focused on meeting Syria’s economic needs. Infrastructure, health and education must be scaled up. Jobs and cash for work programs are needed so that Syrians can start to make a living.