The African Development Bank Group and the Tunisian government have launched a joint initiative to reinforce the financial and accounting management of Bank-funded projects in Tunisia to accelerate implementation and improve development outcomes.
In collaboration with Tunisia's Ministry of Economy and Planning, the General Financial Control, and the National Information Technology Centre (CNI), the partners held a strategic workshop in Tunis on 17 February as part of the 2025-2026 Portfolio Performance Improvement Plan for Bank-financed projects. The plan prioritises the timely submission of audit reports, more reliable financial statements, and increased transparency in the use of public and external resources.
The workshop brought together 77 participants from executing agencies and project implementation units to review the Bank's financial management procedures, reporting templates, and annual financial statement formats to strengthen accountability and project monitoring.
Participants also examined the adoption of an Integrated Financial and Accounting Management System developed by the CNI to track and evaluate public projects, with discussions generating recommendations to enhance operational efficiency.
Alain Nna Ebono, the Bank's Chief Regional Financial Management Coordinator for North Africa, said stronger financial reporting is essential to accelerating the delivery of development programmes and maximising their impact.
"Improving the quality and timeliness of financial statements is a key lever for accelerating project implementation and maximising their impact on communities," he said, describing the integrated accounting application as a decisive step toward producing reliable financial information.
Tarek Bouhlel, Director General for African Cooperation at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, reaffirmed the government's commitment to translating the recommendations into concrete actions, including the preparation of an operational action plan supported by the Bank's Technical Assistance Fund for Middle-Income Countries.
Officials said stronger financial management would improve the effectiveness of public investment, help mobilise additional financing, and accelerate delivery of projects in infrastructure, water, energy, agriculture, and social services--bringing tangible benefits to communities across Tunisia.
