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In a brazen bid to expand its presence on the African continent, Brazilian aviation heavyweight Embraer is considering Tunisia as a candidate site for localised production or assembly. The move is another piece of Embraer’s strategy to widen its supplier base, increase production capacity and extend its reach in Africa, the Mediterranean and in Europe.
Summary date: July 2025 In July 2025, Embraer held a meeting with Tunisia’s Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA). Chaired by Francisco Moraes, Vice President Africa – Commercial Aviation at Embraer, the meeting followed previous talks held earlier in May. The complete article hereDuring this trip, the delegation of executives went through the Tunisian industrial potential, including skilled workforces, subcontracting opportunities and degrees of engineering.
Tunisia’s aerospace industry is already thriving, with more than 80 companies and 17,000 employees working in the sector. The country’s position near Europe, as well as its fiscal incentives and specialized infrastructure, make it an attractive partner for global aerospace manufacturers. To link up with Tunisian’s aerospace ecosystem Embraer’s participation has the potential to enhance Tunisia’s A&D industry, incorporating it in the global value chain, and thereby yielding significant economic and technological development.
Coronavirus isn’t Embraer’s first contact with Africa. The manufacturer already has a fairly strong presence in the continent, with just under 200 of its regional jets on short- and medium-haul routes. These are all aircraft very much adapted to the region’s requirements, offering low cost eco-efficient travel possibilities for African airlines such as, for example, the E195-E2.
Even though there are no Embraer operators in Tunisia today, having this production hub would help the company target its developing market in Africa. Not only would this hub support the existing operations of Embraer but would enable them the capability to handle the future demand within a rapidly growing African aviation market.
It is obvious that there will be Tunisa´s participation in the future expansion that Embraer has. Setting up an industrial hub in the country would allow Embraer to boost its presence in North Africa, currently dominated by industry behemoths such as Airbus and Boeing. Embraer has had much more limited penetration in the region (Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc and Egypt’s Air Cairo, for instance, operate some Embraer planes), and the manufacturer is seeking to expand its footprint.
Royal Air Maroc, for example, which is actively seeking to grow its fleet, has released an RFP for new planes. One of the bidders, it appears, is Embraer, which is likely to win an order for its new-generation E2 family jets. This would go a long way toward enhancing the company’s stature in the region, and also should carve it a bigger piece of the North African pie.
The regional jets manufactured by Embraer are custom fit for the African market. With lower trip cost and extended range as compared to other alternatives, these aircraft are a natural fit for airlines in geographies with fragmented markets and underdeveloped connectivity.
The E2’s, comprising of the E175-E2, E190-E2 and E195-E2, are especially poised to foster the growth of short to medium-haul places to which the demand is less but remains significant to enhance connectivity. Embraer’s regional jets are also more fuel efficient, meaning that they can be used on routes that would not be cost-effective with larger planes.
There are significant prospects for both Embraer and the country by investing in Tunisia’s aviation industry. The country would become the site of a production or assembly plant, Embraer’s first industrial foray in North Africa, in a significant development for the aerospace industry there. Embraer has identified Tunisia’s existing aerospace capabilities and strategic location as foundations upon which to build up its manufacturing presence.
A deal with EADF would also potentially draw other international aerospace contractors to Tunisia, thereby increasing the global competitiveness of the North African country. Tunisia is increasingly positioning itself as a key actor in the aerospace sector given the current changes in global supply chains and, therefore, Embraer’s establishment here would represent a step-change in this growth.
The African aviation industry is forecast to continue growing and Embraer is positioning itself in response to this growth. In the face of growing interest in regional aircraft and the need to improve connectivity within the continent, Embraer’s jets are the right tool to meet the next generation of African airlines demand.
Tunisia’s contribution to this growth is beginning to surface. By setting up shop there, Embraer would not only imrpove its business but also contribute to the a wider development of aerospace industry in North Africa. Properly invested in, the country has the potential to become a major manufacturing hub — surely Embraer’s growth, if not also the aerospace industry in the region, depends on it.
With their skilled workforce and strategic location, Tunisia presented Embraer a golden opportunity to establish a solid foothold in Africa in general. With the global aero market in flux, it is not outside the realm of possibility that this could be the first of many joint projects.
