Summary:

In late-February 2024, Tunisia hosted multiple visits by officials from Saudi Arabia, including the Saudi Health Minister and Minister of the Interior. 

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On 25 February, Saudi Minister of the Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdulaziz met in Tunis with Tunisian Minister of the Interior Kamel Feki. The two ministers engaged in preparatory discussions for the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior which took place in Tunis in the following days. 

On 28 February, President Kais Saied hosted the Saudi Minister of Health Fahd bin Abdurrahman al-Jalajel. The two discussed potential areas of cooperation and development in the health sector. 

The two visits by senior Saudi officials follow a 21 February visit by the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), which preceded an announcement of a $55 million investment in Tunisia’s phosphate transport infrastructure.  

Outlook: 

With Saudi officials looking ahead to post-Gaza war regional dynamics, they are likely seeking to deepen their partnerships with other Arab states. Strong relationships will allow Saudi Arabia to take leadership in defining post-war dynamics and alignments, likely with an eye toward resuming the normalization process with Israel. 

The recent promises of investment and visits to Tunisia signal Saudi plans to ensure some level of support for their post-war plans. While Tunisian officials have remained outspoken in support of the Palestinian cause, the government has stopped short of taking tangible action against Israel. This indicates pragmatism or, perhaps, an implicit or explicit agreement with Saudi Arabia to avoid certain policy red lines that compromise post-war plans. 

In the near- and medium-term, these are positive developments for Tunisia. The country is in desperate need of foreign investment at a moment when many Western sources of funds have balked at Tunisia’s failure to finalize a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that would have demanded painful economic reforms. 

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