• Tunisia and Sweden held ministerial meeting to explore digital sector cooperation 
• Talks focused on telecom infrastructure, 5G, cybersecurity, and startup support

Tunisia wants to deepen its cooperation with Sweden in the digital sector. The topic was discussed on Wednesday, March 26, during a meeting between Sofiene Hemissi (photo, center), Minister of Communication Technologies, and Cécilia Wramsten Usher, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Tunisia. She was accompanied by Nader Ben Ammar, Managing Director of Ericsson Tunisia.

Key areas of cooperation under discussion include the development of telecom infrastructure, cybersecurity, the advancement of 5G applications, and support for startups and entrepreneurship.

This potential partnership could support the government's ambition for digital transformation, which it has made a cornerstone of its socioeconomic development. In 2024, Tunisia ranked 87th globally according to the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI). The country scored 0.6935 out of 1, outperforming both African and global averages, though it still needs to improve in areas such as online services and human capital.

In terms of cybersecurity, Tunisia was ranked in the third tier (Tier 3) out of five by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The country still has significant progress to make in organizational measures, capacity building, and cooperation.

Sweden, for its part, ranks 14th globally on the EGDI. In cybersecurity, the ITU considers the kingdom a model to follow. This means the country demonstrates “a strong commitment […] through coordinated, government-led actions that cover the assessment, establishment, and implementation of generally accepted cybersecurity measures.”

For now, discussions between the two parties are still in the early stages. The exact scope of the potential collaboration has not yet been defined, and no official agreement has been announced. The evolution of the talks will need to be monitored to learn more about future directions and possible implications.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji