As part of the implementation of the project for the preparation of technical and economic studies aimed at establishing a District Heating and Cooling (DHC) network at the Bab Saadoun Health Complex, the National Agency for Energy Management (ANME) held the Project Steering Committee meeting on Tuesday morning, February 17, 2026, in the presence of representatives of the African Development Bank, national stakeholders, and several senior officials from the Agency.

The meeting was opened by Mr. Nacef Bekkari, Director General of the National Agency for Energy Management, Mr. Jalel Chebchoub, Principal Investment Officer in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Division at the African Development Bank, and Mr. Monojit Pal.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Nafaa Bekkari emphasized that the project is part of the national energy transition strategy and aims to establish an innovative and sustainable model for heating and cooling in healthcare facilities, thereby improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and enhancing the quality of healthcare services.

The meeting agenda included a presentation on the status of energy efficiency in the building sector, as well as a detailed overview of the project’s components, objectives, and implementation phases, delivered by Mr. Abdelkader Bekouch, Project Manager, and Mr. Abderrahmane Mahfoudhi, Project Coordinator. The team of experts and consultants also presented the methodology adopted for the preparation of the study, highlighting the main issues and challenges identified.

In the afternoon, a working session was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health to present the various components of the project and the progress of the technical, economic, and environmental studies. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Mabrouk Aounallah, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health, and Mr. Nacef Bekkari, Director General of the National Agency for Energy Management, in the presence of several Directors General and senior officials from both the Ministry and the Agency.

The project is funded by the African Development Bank through a grant. It covers 17 facilities under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, including 8 major hospital institutions.

The Bab Saadoun Health Complex was selected as the first area in Tunisia to implement such a project, based on the results of potential assessments and preliminary studies conducted in 2023 and 2024, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Italian Ministry of the Environment, in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan).