Tunis public transport 'inks deal with French firm linked to Israeli settlements'

A public transport company in Tunisia has reportedly signed a deal with a French company amid civil society's condemnation.

Tunisian Raqaba observatory، an anti-corruption NGO, reported Tuesday that French company "EGIS RAIL," which has concluded a deal with the capital Tunis public transport company, has been part of the Israeli-operated Jerusalem Tramway project.

"The Observatory found that the EGIS RAIL studies office (…) is classified in the list of 112 companies issued by the United Nations in 2020 for companies participating in settlement work, because of its participation in the 'Jerusalem Tramway' project," said the Tunisian NGO in a press release.

Egis Rail, a French subsidiary of a public institution (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations), has won a bidding deal to implement a 300 million Tunisian dinar project (about US$97 million), consisting of launching 18 train cars for the Tunis La Goulette El Marsa line, known as "TGM."

The project is funded equally by the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Development and Development.

The Tunisian observatory also claims that the French company won the bidding deal during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the state’s recommendation to postpone bid submission deadlines for bid requests.

The Raqaba Observatory said Egis was the only company that submitted a "technical offer" for the deal despite that 56 other companies have shown interest in bidding on the Tunis train project.

In 2018, Egis Rail, along with two other French companies, were bidding on the Jerusalem tramway project, which aims to connect West Jerusalem to Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory of East Jerusalem.

Under civil society pressure, Egis Rail decided to abstain from bidding on the project's most recently planned line, though it remained involved in the construction and extension of other lines.

In 2020, the United Nations (UN) said Egis Rail, along with other 112 companies, was actively involved in settlements-related projects in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Egil Rail reported deal in Tunisia is not its first project in North Africa. In 2022, the French company won a bidding deal to implement Morocco’s high-speed train line between Kenitra and Marrakech (450 km).

Between 2008 and 2010, Egis was also in charge of the management of the tracks and catenaries of the first Moroccan high-speed line between Tangier-Kenitra.

The Tunisian anti-corruption observatory took the Egis case to President Kais Saied calling on him to open an investigation on the suspicious deal with the pro-annexation company.

"The Observatory called on the President of the Republic to authorise the designated authorities to open an investigation into the circumstances of the aforementioned deal and to authorise the concerned structures to take the necessary measures to cancel the deal contract," read the observatory's press release.