Tunis: The Ministry of Youth and Sport is in the process of completing the procedures to terminate the contract with the Tunisian company in charge of renovating the El Menzah Olympic Stadium, said Noufel Belhaj Rhouma, director of construction and public works at the General Directorate of Joint Services at the Ministry of Youth and Sport.
In a statement to TAP, the official stressed that the project will be entrusted to a foreign company, adding that there is already a bid from a Chinese company specialising in sports construction.
Rhouma added that the company that wins the contract will have to comply with the regulations and laws on public contracts, as well as Tunisian legislation on financing mechanisms.
The director of construction and public works estimated that work on the renovation of El Menzah stadium should resume in five or six months, adding that the remaining completion time is estimated at 365 working days.
During a visit to the Menzah Olympic Stadium construction site last November, Pre
sident Kais Saied had criticised the slow progress of the work, denouncing the lack of coordination between the components of the project and the non-compliance of certain building materials with the specifications.
The Head of State stressed that the accumulated delays were “unacceptable” and called for the work to be completed in accordance with safety standards.
The renovation of the stadium, which began on June 10, 2022, is expected to be completed in November 2024, with a total budget of 100 million dinars.
The project includes the modernisation of the stands, the strengthening of the supporting structure and the renovation of the dressing rooms, press box, grandstand, scoreboard and lighting system. However, no more than 20% of the work has been completed so far.
The El Menzeh Olympic Stadium was built in 1967 when Tunisia hosted the Mediterranean Games. Since then, it has hosted many other international sporting events, including the first Youth World Cup in 1977, the finals of the Africa Cup of Na
tions in 1994 and 2004, and a number of matches in the Tunis 2001 Mediterranean Games.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse