The Minister of Transport, Rachid Amri, presented last evening the new directions of the sector for the year 2026, during a joint plenary session between the Assembly of People’s Representatives and the National Council of Regions and Provinces. Here are the main points presented, as relayed by the TAP agency.
The ministry’s budget for 2026 will reach 1,281 million dinars in commitments and 1,267 million in payments, an increase of 17.7% compared to 2025. The minister detailed a series of measures relating to land, rail, port and air transport, as well as major acquisitions intended to strengthen public fleets.
700 MD to support public transport
Rachid Amri indicated that 700 million dinars were mobilized to support the transport sector, including 404 million dinars intended for regional land transport companies.
Concerning development expenditure, the minister specified that 95% of the credits will be directed towards land transport:
- 48.6% for the benefit of the Tunisian National Railway Company (SNCFT),
- 29.54% for the Rapid Rail Network (RFR),
- 40 million dinars as an investment grant to regional companies for the acquisition of 250 buses.
He also announced the approval of financing for the acquisition of 30 metro trains for the benefit of Transtu.
European donation: 106 buses given to Tunisia
The minister confirmed the receipt, in the form of a European donation, of:
- 46 minibuses,
- 50 articulated buses,
- 10 “refinement” (comfort) buses,
These vehicles will be distributed between regional companies to strengthen services, particularly in internal areas and on interurban lines.
Rail: connection of ports to the network in 2026
Amri indicated that the year 2026 will see the connection of ports – notably Bizerte and Sousse – to the railway network.
Objective: reduce logistics costs, remembering that rail transport is 20 times cheaper than road transport by trucks.
Port of Radès: critical saturation, 12,000 containers for a capacity of 1,300
The minister drew up a worrying inventory of the port of Radès:
- Actual capacity: 1300 containers,
- Containers currently present: 12,000,
- Some containers have been stored for more than ten years.
He announced the establishment of an IT unit dedicated to monitoring the journey of containers, from the point of entry to exit, in coordination with Customs.
50 MD to modernize the ports
The minister recalled that the Office of Merchant Marine and Ports (OMMP) has recorded comfortable revenues in recent years, which will make it possible to finance:
- dredging work,
- the renovation of reception areas,
- the development of parking lots,
- the acquisition of new equipment (tractors, pilot boats).
The ports concerned are: Sousse, Sfax, Bizerte, Gabès and Zarzis.
Tunisair: an emergency plan and reinforcement of the fleet
Rachid Amri confirmed that Tunisair, CTN and STAM are included in a global restructuring plan, in the final phase of examination at government level.
He clarified:
- 13 aircraft are currently operational,
- a new aircraft will join the fleet before the end of 2025,
- more than 60 flights are operated daily,
- the State has scheduled the acquisition of 8 leasing aircraft with an option to purchase.
The minister expressed the hope of seeing Tunisair gradually return to financial balance in 2026.
Enfidha Deep Water Port Project
Amri announced that the land clearance of the site has reached 90%, and that the overall cost of the project is estimated at 5,000 million dinars.
The search for financing continues, in parallel with the progress of studies, like the Sfax metro project.
Human resources: recruitment and regularization
Concerning the situation of contract workers in public transport companies, the minister indicated that the file will be examined at government level, after the application of Law No. 9 relating to the end of subcontracting contracts.
He also announced new recruitments in regional companies:
- 63 agents in Bizerte,
- 39 in Gabès,
- 46 in Sfax.
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Ministry of Transport budget up 17.7%, focus on network modernization
