Doha and Tunis share strong bilateral relations, with Qatari exports to Tunisia increasing almost six times more over the course of the past decade.

A Qatari plane carrying food aid for 15,000 Tunisian families in need arrived at Tozeur airport on Wednesday, just days ahead of Ramadan, Anadolu Agency reported.

The distribution of aid in the southern provinces of Tozeur, Kebili and Tataouine, was coordinated and supervised by the Tunisian presidency, according to a statement issued by the Qatari embassy in Tunis.

This is the second aid shipment provided by Qatar to Tunisia since May last year, when Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent urgent medical aid to the North African country in efforts to help combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

That included a field hospital from the Qatari Ministry of Defence containing 100 beds and 20 ventilators.

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In 2016, Sheikh Tamim allocated $1.25 billion in support of Tunis’ economy prior to an international investment conference.

Qatari exports to Tunisia have increased almost six times over the past decade, while Tunisian exports to Qatar rose tenfold during the same period.

The Qatar Fund For Development has also been encouraging private initiatives and projects to create jobs for thousands of Tunisian youth and fostering entrepreneurship in Qatar through the 2017 Qatari-Tunisian Friendship Fund.

The two countries share more than 80 agreements and memoranda in various fields, including telecommunications, banking and tourism.