SUNREF Tunisia

SUNREF is the green finance label of Agence Française de Développement (AFD). It facilitates access to sustainable energy and the implementation of environmental protection measures, ensures the development of a low-carbon economy and contributes to mitigating the causes of climate change.

To address the scale of energy needs and environmental issues in Tunisia, SUNREF helps companies seize the opportunities created by the ecological transition. This innovative programme is part of an extensive initiative developed by AFD to mobilise private and public banks, finance investments in the private sector and promote a wider use of green technologies.

By driving innovation for a lower carbon footprint and using resources, companies are central to the transition towards a more sustainable economic model. However, there are still many barriers to the implementation of investments.

Consequently, to mobilise banks and companies for green growth, the SUNREF initiative has been launched to promote investments in energy and environmental services in developing countries via specific dedicated credit lines that offer its partners an integrated financial and technical approach.

Following a first energy-environment credit line in Tunisia and building on its international experience, AFD has set up a new SUNREF financing programme in partnership with four local banks and two public agencies: the National Agency for Energy Management (ANME) and National Agency for Environmental Protection (ANPE).

The SUNREF programme is being developed at an opportune time when the Tunisian Government wants to implement an ambitious energy transition and environmental protection policy. The mechanism aims to support these policies by helping develop the green financing market, stimulating green investment, encouraging banks to finance it and building the capacities of key stakeholders in the sector.

In addition to the direct impacts on promoting green investment and its financing, the implementation of the SUNREF credit line will have major macroeconomic and environmental impacts: protection of the local and global environment, energy security, balanced public finances, business competitiveness, job creation, etc.

The SUNREF programme in Tunisia will be implemented over a three-year period and will comprise three main mechanisms:

• A EUR 80m credit line;
• Technical assistance;
• An investment premium mechanism.

Under the SUNREF mechanism, a three-year technical assistance programme, financed by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, is providing the expertise required by project initiators and banks to support the creation of the market to finance sustainable energy projects in Tunisia.

Generally speaking, this technical assistance is contributing to the objectives of the SUNREF programme:

• Develop and enhance a range of green finance promoted by Tunisian financial institutions in the energy efficiency, renewable energies and environment sectors;

• Improve economic competitiveness and reduce the environmental impact of SMEs through measures for energy management and waste and effluent management;

• Institutional development and technical capacity building for the Tunisian administration responsible for energy and environmental protection.

The main objective of this technical assistance programme is to build the capacities of public and private stakeholders in order to create favourable conditions for the development of sustainable green finance in Tunisia, while ensuring the quality of the design, implementation and operation of the funded green projects.

Find out more: www.sunref.tn

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