- Slim majorities of Tunisians say they are satisfied with the way the AMU (51%) and the AU (53%) recognise their country’s needs and interests in their decision making.
- But more than eight in 10 (82%) say African countries should have a greater say in international decision-making bodies like the United Nations.
- A modest majority (54%) of citizens prefer free trade over limiting international trade to protect domestic producers.
- If the government decided to make international trade easier, nearly three fourths (72%) of Tunisians would favour open trade with countries around the world, while fewer would prioritise trade with African countries (15%) or with countries in the AMU (7%).
- Only 5% of Tunisians say they have heard of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
- Asked to assess the economic and political influence of various foreign powers on their country, Tunisians are more welcoming than critical of the influence of China, the AMU, the AU, and Russia. But Western powers fare far worse: Only about one in 10 respondents welcome the influence of the United States (11%) and France (12%).
- Asked who helped Tunisia most during the COVID-19 pandemic, respondents most frequently cite China (34%), followed by Europe (17%) and the United States (7%).
- The proportion of citizens who say China’s economic activities have “some” or “a lot” of influence on Tunisia’s economy declined by 15 points between 2015 and 2024, to 59%.
- Among the 88% of Tunisians who are aware of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, about two-thirds (65%) favour taking a neutral stance in the war.
Classified by the World Bank (2025) as a lower-middle-income country, Tunisia occupies a strategic location on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa and boasts a diversified economy rooted in agriculture, light manufacturing, retail, and tourism. International trade plays a central role in Tunisia’s development strategy. The European Union (EU) is by far Tunisia’s largest trade partner, accounting for nearly 60% of its trade (International Trade Administration, 2024). About two-thirds (67.2%) of Tunisian exports go to EU markets, while 45% of its imports originate from the EU (European Commission, 2025).
Tunisia also maintains a range of regional and continental trade agreements. These include the 2004 Agadir Agreement with Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan and bilateral free-trade agreements with Algeria and Libya. In 2019, Tunisia ratified its accession to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) (Kebe, 2018) after ratifying the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement the year before (International Trade Administration, 2024).
Tunisia is a founding member of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), established in 1989 to promote regional integration with Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Mauritania (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, 2016). However, the AMU’s operations have long been stalled due to geopolitical tensions, particularly the rivalry between Algeria and Morocco over the status of Western Sahara (Boukhars, 2018).
In an effort to revive regional cooperation beyond the AMU framework, Tunisia hosted a “first advisory meeting” in April 2024 with Algerian and Libyan leaders in Tunis. According to Tunisian officials, this initiative aims to foster not only political dialogue but also enhanced social and economic collaboration among the three countries (VOA Africa, 2024).
How do Tunisians view their economic and political relations with the rest of the world?
Findings from the most recent Afrobarometer survey show that views on free trade are divided, with a substantial minority favouring limitations on international trade to protect Tunisian businesses. Very few citizens are aware of the AfCFTA.
Assessments of the economic and political influence of China, the AMU, the African Union (AU), and Russia are more positive than negative, but majorities reject the influence of the United States and France.
Majorities believe that the AU and the AMU take Tunisia’s needs and interests into account in their decision making, but citizens overwhelmingly say African countries need a greater say in international bodies like the United Nations.
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