Tunisia’s Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Riadh Chaoued, announced that 230 community enterprises have been established so far, with 60 of them already operational. The announcement was made during a joint parliamentary session bringing together the Committee on Education, Vocational Training, Scientific Research, Youth and Sports of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, and the Committee on Social Services and Development of the National Council of Regions and Districts.
A Model for Inclusion and Local Development
According to figures presented by the minister, these enterprises currently involve 15,000 participants, including 2,400 university graduates and 174 people with disabilities. Collectively, they have generated 380 jobs to date — a sign that this community-based model is emerging as a key tool to promote collective entrepreneurship and boost employment, particularly in Tunisia’s interior regions.
Béja Leads the Way, Ariana Still Absent
The governorate of Béja tops the list of regions with the highest number of community enterprises, followed by Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa, Sfax, Kairouan, Zaghouan, Siliana, Medenine, Kasserine, Nabeul, and Kebili.
Other regions such as Tozeur, Jendouba, Mahdia, Tataouine, Monastir, Kef, Bizerte, Manouba, Sousse, Ben Arous, Gabes, and Tunis have also benefited from the initiative. However, no community enterprise has yet been established in Ariana, the minister noted.
Financing and Outlook for 2026
In 2025 alone, 88 community enterprises received financing approvals worth a total of 29.46 million dinars, according to Chaoued.
For 2026, the Ministry of Employment plans to strengthen the governance of the community enterprise program at both regional and central levels, support the creation of 400 new enterprises, and enhance their job-creation capacity. The ministry will also develop a guide to support collective initiatives, train specialized facilitators, and implement a dedicated communication strategy to promote this model nationwide.
Additionally, Chaoued highlighted plans to improve the investment climate for community-based projects by reviewing and updating several legislative texts, ensuring better sustainability and scalability for these social enterprises.
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