Tunisia and Italy to form ring of power

Tunisia’s already close links with Italy will take on a more physical form should a scheme to connect the two countries by an undersea cable to carry electricity from Tunisia to Europe be implemented. On March 9, Tunisian Energy Minister Afif Chelbi and Italian Economic Development Minister Pierluigi Bersani signed a declaration in Rome to establish a joint working group to complete the planning for the construction of a power station at el-Haouaria and the laying of a cable to link the electricity networks of the two countries. Among those included on the committee will be state officials and representatives of the electricity grid from both sides. According to Bersani, the declaration was a further step ahead in developing a more integrated energy policy in the Mediterranean basin. “The project for connecting Italy and Tunisia is an important step towards building the Euro-Mediterranean ring, to create a corridor within which