The Association of Tunisians Graduated from Grandes Écoles (ATUGE) is set to host the third edition of the Tunisia Global Forum (TGF) on July 21 under the theme “Building the Future in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Speaking to AfricanManager, ATUGE President Amine Aloulou said that 2026 and 2027 will be pivotal years, bringing profound changes across multiple sectors that will reshape daily life, work, employment opportunities, global power dynamics and value chains across economies worldwide.
He stressed that while the foundations for individual success already exist, the AI era requires greater collaboration, faster execution and the ability to keep pace with rapid technological change.
Aloulou said the association aims to strengthen ties with Tunisian talent abroad and facilitate partnerships between startups, SMEs, and larger companies to support Tunisia’s integration into the AI era.
He also underscored the importance of engaging the Tunisian diaspora through investment, entrepreneurship and knowledge exchange to help drive the country’s transformation toward a knowledge-based economy.
For his part, Tarek Bouassida, Coordinator General of the Tunisia Global Forum 2026, said the event is expected to bring together around 2,500 Tunisian professionals, experts, and business leaders to explore how AI can be leveraged to enhance the international competitiveness of Tunisian companies.
The forum aims to mobilize Tunisian expertise around the opportunities created by AI while emphasizing the need for swift action to adapt to rapidly evolving global trends.
It will also feature the presentation of a White Paper on Artificial Intelligence, prepared by a strategic committee of Tunisian and international experts and entrepreneurs, outlining practical recommendations to support Tunisia’s AI development.
The forum’s official opening on July 21 will be presided over by Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti, highlighting the event’s international dimension and the importance of global cooperation in addressing technological transformation.
The program includes plenary sessions and specialized discussions covering key AI-related issues such as digital sovereignty, governance, digital and energy infrastructure, workforce development and the future of employment.
Additional sessions will focus on strengthening scientific research, promoting open innovation between startups and established companies, and accelerating the development of Tunisia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and business climate to capitalize on AI opportunities.
The 2026 edition will also introduce new initiatives linking policy discussions with practical applications. These include showcasing finalists from the AI Hackathon, organized in partnership with CJD Tunis Horizon, which brings together students from Tunisia and the Tunisian diaspora to develop AI-powered prototype solutions for real-world business challenges.
The forum will also host the finals of the TGF AI Awards, where 27 projects will compete in categories covering scientific research, DeepTech, and startups.
The event will conclude with a strategic session featuring Mehdi Houas, recently elected president of Numeum, France’s largest digital technology industry association, who will present his vision for digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani will also deliver closing remarks, highlighting AI’s potential applications in Tunisia’s healthcare sector.
The Tunisia Global Forum is the flagship event of the Diaspora Month program, held from July 15 to August 15, 2026, under the World Alliance of Tunisian Talents (WATT) initiative. The program seeks to transform the summer return of Tunisians living abroad into an opportunity to strengthen connections with Tunisia’s economic stakeholders and contribute to the country’s development.
The initiative also includes a series of Diaspora Regional Networking (DRN) events in cities including Sfax, Sousse, Hammamet, Bizerte, Gabès, Béja, and Djerba, aimed at fostering sustainable partnerships between the Tunisian diaspora and regional economic and academic ecosystems.
The 2026 editions of Diaspora Month and the Tunisia Global Forum are supported by several key partners, notably the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) through its EDMEJ program promoting financial, economic, and social inclusion in Tunisia, as well as the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC).
