The CONFIDE project aims to strengthen public health research capacity to inform evidence-based policies in Tunisia. In recent years the CONFIDE partner country, Tunisia has experienced positive political and economic changes. These changes have driven important reforms in the field of public health, yet this country is still struggling to educate knowledgeable, experienced, and skilled public health professionals who can work effectively in a modern health system. In terms of the health research system, in Tunisia there are several issues which have been revealed:  for example, as the governance of health research straddles between at least two ministries (Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology, and several public institutions and institutions for training and health), coordination efforts are needed to improve and streamline governance.

In addition, national health research priorities have yet to be clearly defined. Researchers choose by themselves, independently of national health priorities, their research agenda, which may lead to a situation that may leave unaddressed a number of population health needs themes. Moreover, there is no specific mechanism for informing the Ministry of Health about the progress of research in Tunisia and overall there is no structure responsible for the dissemination of research results to the public. We are trying to address these gaps and enhance evidence-based public health research.