Tunis, December 14, 2022: Tunisia SDG Investor Map has been launched in collaboration with The Ministry of Economy and Planning of Tunisia, UNDP Tunisia and the Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) in Tunis. The map works as a country market intelligence tool and investor guide for SDG investments in Tunisia and has identified 18 investment opportunity areas aligned with Tunisian policy priorities and development needs.

The annual financing need for developing countries to achieve the SDGs is $4.2 billion but this could be met by allocating 1.1% of total assets held by banks, institutional investors, or asset managers (OECD, 2020). In Tunisia, for instance, it is estimated that $19.4 billion are needed to meet the Nationally Determined Contribution targets, including $14.4 billion for mitigation and $4.3 billion for adaptation (NDC, 2021). Given the significance of the financing needs for this sector alone, the role of the private sector appears central in Tunisia.

The SDG Investor Map which identifies areas of economically viable investment opportunities in favor of the SDGs seeks to address the need to engage the private sector in financing development. These investment opportunity areas are clustered in 8 priority sectors and include infrastructure, agriculture, transport, healthcare, renewable and alternative energy, technology and communication, finance, and education.

The launch of the "SDG Investor Map", which will be accessible on the SDG Investor Platform, supports the efforts of the Ministry of Economy and Planning for increased and targeted private investments that truly meet the country's development needs.

"Tunisia has set ambitious goals to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth, which is in line with the objective of reducing poverty and inequality, and climate resilience. Meeting these objectives, however, requires new financing partnerships, bringing together key actors, including the government, and the private sector to jointly support Tunisia’s development pathway," said Ms. Céline Moyroud, UNDP Resident Representative in Tunisia.

H.E Mr. Samir Saied, Minister of Economy and Planning noted in his statement that "the economic and social achievements and progress in the fight against poverty, exclusion, equal opportunity, and gender equality are threatened by the fallout of two crises that the world is going through, COVID-19 and the war between Russia and Ukraine," stressing that "in view of the situation, we need to rethink our development model and look for niche areas for sustainable growth and innovate in terms of financing for development.” Mr. Saied added that "it is within this perspective that the development plan 2023-2025 plans to support sustainable and inclusive development and gives special importance to the private sector and private initiative to support the efforts of the state to consolidate achievements, promote job creation and develop infrastructure."

During the launch event, Mr. Sahba Sobhani, Director of UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (UNDP IICPSD) presented the findings of the Tunisia SDG Investor Map and the Impact Investing Ecosystem Study.

UNDP continues to support the Ministry and the government of Tunisia in this work of mobilizing financing for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, through innovative financial tools, such as the SDG Investor Map, as well as through the implementation of the National Integrated Financing Framework for a sound, sustainable and resilient development financing architecture.

The Tunisia SDG Investor Map is available publicly on the global SDGs Investor Platform. 

https://sdginvestorplatform.undp.org/country/tunisia