Tunisia’s foreign trade data for the first half of 2025 reveals a significant boost in economic ties with Türkiye, marking an upward trend in bilateral commerce despite overall sluggish export performance.
According to figures from the National Institute of Statistics of Tunisia, the country’s total exports between January and June reached 31.77 billion Tunisian dinars, while imports totaled 41.67 billion dinars. Compared to the same period in 2024, national exports fell by 0.6%, whereas imports rose by 4.3%.
Türkiye Emerges as a Key Non-EU Trade Partner
Among Tunisia’s non-EU suppliers, Türkiye stood out by accounting for 4.9% of total imports during this period. Imports from Türkiye increased sharply, from 564 million dinars in the first half of 2024 to 692 million dinars in 2025 — a 22.7% jump.
On the export side, Tunisia’s shipments to Türkiye surged by 42.8%, rising from 117 million to 167 million dinars. In dollar terms, bilateral trade expanded by 26.1%, bringing the total trade volume between the two nations to 2.53 billion dinars in the first half of this year.
Sectoral Performance
Tunisia’s January–June export data showed notable growth in several sectors:
Mining, phosphates, and derivatives: up 11.2%
Mechanical and electrical industries: up 6.2%
Textiles, ready-to-wear, and leather: up 0.4%
However, energy exports plunged by 36.3%, and food industry exports declined by 19.1%.
In imports, there were significant increases in:
Capital goods: up 17.6%
Raw materials and semi-finished goods: up 6.2%
Consumer goods: up 11.6%
Energy product imports fell by 16.3%, while food product imports dropped by 2%.
Strengthening Bilateral Trade Ties
Bilateral trade between Türkiye and Tunisia surpassed USD 1.6 billion in 2023, setting the stage for continued growth. To sustain and expand this momentum, the Turkish Embassy in Tunis and Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade have spearheaded numerous initiatives to boost commercial cooperation.
These efforts include a series of business forums and B2B events, which have brought hundreds of Turkish entrepreneurs to Tunisia to explore partnerships.
Economic indicators and diplomatic engagement signal a clear intention by both nations to diversify and deepen their trade relationship in the coming period, expanding beyond traditional sectors into new investment and cooperation opportunities.
