Wil Shushan insists that removing carbon strengthens economic sovereignty
Secretary of State for the Energy Transition, Wael Shushan, confirmed on Friday, 6 November 2026 in the Tunisian capital, that energy transition and decarbonisation from the industrial sector represent a strategic option for the future of the economy, a foundation for strengthening competitiveness, modernizing the production fabric and consolidating economic sovereignty.
During the opening of the national consultations on the Africa Green Industrialization Hub initiative, organised in collaboration between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the National Agency for Energy Control, Shushan explained that reducing the carbon footprint allows controlling production costs and improving energy performance, as well as reducing dependence on external resources supporting institutions' resilience to international volatility.
The Secretary of State noted that the country has an integrated population that allows it to keep pace with global transformations, based on industrial experience, human and technical competencies, as well as the integration of a number of its institutions into international value chains, qualifying it for a shift towards a sustainable and innovation-based industrial model.
The opening session was attended by the Italian Ambassador to Tunisia Alessandro Brunas, the UN Industrial Development Agency's Permanent Representative, the Director-General of the National Energy Control Agency and a number of industry actors; Shushan stressed the strategic importance of the Tunisian-Italian partnership in attracting investment, transferring technology and mobilizing funding.
The African Green Manufacturing Platform Initiative is based on four axes including the development of public policies and sectoral roadmaps to guide the industrial transition, the development of human skills to meet the requirements of green industry, as well as supporting modern technologies and launching low-carbon field industrial projects.