Known as a drought-prone country and highly exposed to water stress, Tunisia is developing its “Eau 2050” strategy, thanks to co-financing from the African Water Facility (AWF), the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The “Eau 2050” strategy is an essential planning tool for Tunisia. It must notably enable Tunisia to ensure its socio-economic development, and to secure the availability and access of its population to water resources by 2050. The project aims to put in place an innovative and participatory strategy for the water management resources in the medium and long term. The "Eau 2050" is meant to be an unique reference framework for intervention for all water stakeholders - administrations, the general public, water users, civil society, etc. The Project plans to finance priority actions aimed to secure water resources and to promote the country's water potential.

Belgacem BEN SASSI, officer in charge of the project at the African Development Bank said that the project is in line with the African Water Vision 2025 and in the strategic priorities of the African Water Facility (AWF). He adds that the AWF is  committed to achieve water security in particular by supporting multisectoral and longer-term strategic planning for the development and use of water resources. Tunisia will finalized its "Eau 2050" strategy in 2022. Tunisian authorities hope that this strategy will improve the water  resources governance in an integrated management approach.

Rafik Aini, development "Eau 2050" manager said the Tunisia is one of the African countries which is suffering the full brunt of the negative impacts of climate change. 

" We have to act now putting in place this strategy whose the concrete objective is to contribute to socioeconomic development, by securing the availability and access to water resources by 2050, in an efficient manner inclusive of the entire Tunisian population, equitable and sustainable following an Integrated Water Resources Management approach. "

For Belgacem, this project  will constitute a good example for the other countries of the region in terms of long-term planning in the water sector. " We will share the experience with Morocco which is developing its National Water Plan for 2040"

The total cost of the project is €2,655,000. The African Water Facility contributes nearly 50.7% of the total cost (€ 1,345,000), 39.1% for the KfW and 10.2% for the GIZ.

The African Water Facility (AWF)  is an initiative that the Council of African Ministers of Water (AMCOW) is leading to mobilize resources to finance water resources development activities in Africa. Since 2006, AWF has developed a portfolio covering 117 projects in 52 countries in Africa.