The North African country aims to accelerate its digital transformation, a cornerstone of its socioeconomic development strategy. The government plans to invest approximately $25.8 million in digital projects during the 2025 fiscal year.

Tunisia plans to deepen its cooperation with China as part of its digital transformation strategy.

Sofiene Hemissi (photo, right), Tunisia's Minister of Communication Technologies, met with Wang Song (photo, left), China's Vice Minister of Cyberspace Administration, on Thursday during a two-day visit to Tunisia.

Discussions focused on the development of telecommunications infrastructure and artificial intelligence. Both sides reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation programs in information and communication technologies (ICT) while exploring new avenues for collaboration across various digital sectors.

Tunisia currently ranks first in North Africa and third in Africa in e-governance, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) report, "E-Government Survey 2024: Accelerating Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development." The country has an e-government development index (EGDI) score of 0.6935 out of 1, exceeding the African average of 0.4247 and surpassing the global average of 0.6382. In ICT development, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ranks Tunisia 8th in Africa out of 47 countries, with a score of 77.2 out of 100.

However, it faces challenges in cybersecurity. It is classified as Tier 3, comprising countries with a global score of at least 55/100, demonstrating basic cybersecurity engagement through government-led initiatives. The country needs to strengthen its organizational measures, capacity building, and cooperation to improve its standing.

China, by contrast, ranks 35th globally in e-government development with an EGDI score of 0.8718. The ITU gives China a score of 85.8 out of 100 for ICT development. In cybersecurity, China is categorized as Tier 2, representing countries with a global score of at least 85/100, indicating a strong commitment to cybersecurity through coordinated government actions.

Enhanced collaboration with China in the digital sector could help accelerate Tunisia's digital transformation, a key pillar of its socioeconomic development strategy. However, it should be noted that no new agreements or partnerships were announced or signed during this meeting.

By Isaac K. Kassouwi,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji