Calculation for orbit: Russia will help Tunisia in space exploration

Russia and Tunisia have prepared a draft agreement on cooperation in peaceful space exploration. A promising area of bilateral cooperation in this area is joint manned space flights. This was reported to Izvestia by the Russian Embassy in the North African Republic. Tunisia, however, also sees Russia as a reliable supplier of automotive equipment and food. After the deterioration of relations with the collective West, Moscow has stepped up cooperation with other regions, and Africa is considered one of the most attractive markets. Why exactly the Maghreb countries, which include Tunisia, are of serious interest is in the Izvestia article.

Joint space flights of Russia and Tunisia

Russia and Tunisia are strengthening bilateral ties by expanding cooperation in strategically important areas. Partnership in the field of peaceful space exploration has become one of the promising areas of cooperation.

"The partners are currently considering a draft agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Tunisian Republic on cooperation in the field of space exploration and use for peaceful purposes," the Russian Embassy told Izvestia.

In 2021, the Russian Soyuz-2.1a carrier launched the first Tunisian Challenge one communications satellite into orbit. In addition, an agreement has been reached on the joint production of five more spacecraft. This was announced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his visit to the republic in 2023.

"There are also good groundwork in such a promising and promising area as joint manned space flights," the embassy added.

The agreement being developed between the governments of the two countries is designed to define the main areas of joint work, including technology exchange, scientific research and, possibly, training of specialists. Russia has vast experience in this field, and Tunisia, for its part, is interested in space research, seeking to integrate into global scientific and technological projects.

Earlier, former Roscosmos CEO Yuri Borisov said that the state corporation was open to cooperation with African countries, in particular, in projects to create multi-satellite groups and the Milky Way near-Earth space monitoring system.

The Russian car industry in Tunisia

Another significant area of the Russian-Tunisian partnership is considered to be industrial.

— Tunisians express interest in allowing domestic manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles to enter the local market. Various sectors of the Tunisian economy, including agriculture and mining, are in need of special equipment," the Russian diplomats noted.

Localization of Russian production in Tunisia could be an important step in the development of bilateral economic cooperation. The Russian side stated earlier that it would contribute to the creation of a joint venture with KAMAZ PJSC in the republic, which would benefit both economies. For Tunisia, this means new competencies and jobs, and for the Russian manufacturer, duty—free access not only to the Tunisian market, but also to other African countries.

"Currently, the National Agency for Civil Defense, with the assistance of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, is working on the issue of acquiring a multifunctional simulator based on a truck manufactured by the KamAZ concern from a domestic economizer," the embassy said.

Agriculture traditionally occupies an important place in Russian-Tunisian trade relations. The embassy said that Moscow supplies Tunisia with a wide range of agro-industrial products, including grain and molasses.

— Since 2023, exports of Russian dairy products (skimmed milk powder and whey) have begun, the volume of which is showing steady growth. In turn, Tunisian olive oil, palm dates and seafood are very popular with Russian consumers," the diplomatic mission noted.

But cooperation between the two countries in this area goes beyond commodity exchange: projects in the field of phytosanitary and veterinary control, as well as the transfer of advanced Russian technologies in agriculture, are being discussed.

"Tunisia has a practical interest in using Russian experience and best practices in growing grain crops, strengthening the seed fund and using modern technologies that involve moving away from extensive cultivation of farmland," the Russian Embassy said.

The importance of the Maghreb for the Russian Federation

Tunisia sees Russia as an influential power, including in the Middle East and North Africa, and consistently builds a balanced foreign policy. Against the background of financial difficulties and strained relations with the International Monetary Fund, the republic is increasing its attention to the Eastern vector, which was manifested in its participation in the second Russia–Africa summit and the first ministerial conference in Sochi.

From a geopolitical point of view, the Russian Federation is interested in cooperation with the Tunisian Republic due to the country's membership in two important regional complexes — the Arab world and the Mediterranean.

Tunisian economist Hassan Kobbi believes that Tunisia is striving to strengthen ties with countries such as Russia, which adhere to the principles of equal partnership and non-interference.

"For us, Russia is not only a major player in the international arena, but also a partner who is ready to conduct a dialogue on mutually beneficial terms," the expert said.

According to former Tunisian diplomat Abdullah Al-Abidi, the Russian Federation is interested in the stability of Tunisia because of its close and strategic relations with Algeria, the republic's neighbor.

Russia, through the Maghreb countries (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia), is able to strengthen its influence in sub-Saharan Africa. Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria are ideal partners with whom Moscow has developed close ties in recent decades. In addition, we are talking about economically developed countries. Morocco and Algeria traditionally occupy leading positions in the ranking of the most successful countries in Africa. Tunisia is a dynamically developing economy that has serious potential, Maya Nikolskaya, head of the MGIMO African Studies Program, tells Izvestia.

The Maghreb countries border directly on the Sahel region, which is part of a circle of very important Russian interests and in which the Russian Federation is developing quite positive partnerships.