- The Government of Catalonia will work with the municipalities of Sfax and Chihia as part of a climate change resilience project financed by the European Commission
The Catalan Government has approved a grant of 350,000 euros to the municipalities of Sfax and Chihia in southern Tunisia as part of a climate change resilience project funded by the European Commission.
The grant, which will be channelled through the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation, is part of the 'Active and Intelligent Mobility in Sfax' (MAIS) project, launched in 2022, and includes the promotion of a network of pedestrian and bicycle paths in both Sfax and Chihia.
The project will support the transition of the cities of Sfax and Chihia towards green and climate-resilient urban development, through sustainable urban mobility that contributes to national commitments in terms of energy saving and the promotion of renewable energies, as well as to the international commitments of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
The project will also include the provision of expertise and knowledge transfer from the Agency to the two Tunisian town councils.
In addition to the Agency and the municipalities of the two Tunisian towns, the consortium behind the project includes MedCities, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and several local organisations.
The amount subsidised by the ACCD for the MAIS project is 350,000 euros, of which 297,000 euros will be allocated to the municipality of Sfax and 53,000 euros to the municipality of Chihia.
Catalan cooperation in Tunisia
The Master Plan for Development Cooperation 2023-2026 establishes Tunisia as one of the priority countries for Catalan cooperation.
The trajectory of the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation in this country and Morocco has focused on climate action from various perspectives, such as the promotion of sustainable production models and responsible consumption, as well as initiatives that support public policies aimed at adapting to environmental impacts and risks.
The focus is on the most vulnerable groups, including actions to promote the employability of young people and women in the green economy.
In 2019, the Government established its Delegation to North Africa, based in Tunis, to intensify institutional relations with Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Libya.