In January 2014, the European-African Partnership Chamber of Belgium and the Mahdia Governorate signed an ambitious framework agreement: a Sebkha Ben Ghayadha marina, hotels, high-end villas, the largest medical complex in the country. Announced cost: 4 billion dinars. The project never started.
Twelve years later, Tunisia puts the file back on the table – with a different institutional framework and a concrete deadline. On Wednesday, May 20, Ben Ghayadha’s development project will be officially presented at the International Building and Construction Fair « Carthage 2026 », at the Kram Exhibition Center, in the Mahdia Governorate Pavilion.
An official presentation at the « Carthage 2026 » Show
It is no longer a Belgian chamber of commerce that carries out the project, but a structured public device: the General Authority of public-private partnership, the Caisse des dépôts et consignations, the governorate of Mahdia and the company Sibag are associated, as part of a technical assistance program designed to support the State in the choice of a private strategic partner.
The presentation at the show aims to reveal the main orientations of the master plan and to attract investors, economic operators and institutional partners. Thematic conferences and networking sessions are planned on the sidelines of the event.
142 hectares to transform south of Mahdia
The Sebkha Ben Ghayadha project covers 142 hectares on the southwest coast of the city. It is part of the National Program of Smart and Sustainable Cities and is based on an integrated development logic: high-end residential and tourist areas, marina and water activities, cultural and leisure spaces, sustainable and multimodal mobility.
The environmental dimension is also central: protection of the lake and the coast, rehabilitation of the historic site of Borj Erra’s. The stated objective is to make Ben Ghayadha a competitive hub at the level of the Mediterranean basin.
A timetable now set
Unlike 2014, official milestones exist. A call for expressions of interest from international investors is expected by August 2026. The start of work is planned for early 2027, according to the commitments made before the Assembly of the People’s Representatives. What the first attempt had never had: a roadmap.
source : webdo
