In spite of its many assets (young, educated population, little extreme poverty and available natural resources), this region faces increasingly significant social and ecological pressures, which challenge the methods for medium and long-term development. IRD has been working around the Mediterranean since 1957 and has 4 representatives there today.
IRD’s work in the Mediterranean primarily concerns water resources, terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, natural risks, the living conditions and mobility conditions of populations, and questions of governance.
Since 1957, the Institute and its Tunisian partners have been conducting research for the development of Tunisia and the Mediterranean region. To celebrate this anniversary, IRD ran many events for the public on 17 and 18 October 2017, at the Cité des Sciences in Tunis and at the French Institute of Tunisia.