Sharjah’s Cultural Vision Takes Center Stage at Tunis Poetry Festival

 The tenth edition of the Kairouan Festival of Arabic Poetry opened under the Mediterranean stars at the historic Ennejma Ezzahra Palace on Friday, marking a decade of a pioneering cultural initiative born in the United Arab Emirates. The ceremony, attended by a gathering of diplomats, ministers, and literary figures, served as a powerful testament to the cross-border influence of Sharjah’s cultural projects. The festival is a flagship event of the “Houses of Poetry” network, an initiative launched by Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler…

EBRD Launches Landmark Green Finance Initiative in Tunisia with €10 Million Loan to UBCI

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is channeling a €10 million loan to Tunisia’s Union Bancaire pour le Commerce et l’Industrie (UBCI) to kickstart a new phase of green lending for local businesses, marking one of the first operations under its Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) in the country. The financing is designed to fuel Tunisia’s transition to a low-carbon economy by providing UBCI, a leading private bank with 102 branches nationwide, with capital to on-lend to private companies. A key focus will be supporting micro, small, and…

Foreign Minister to Attend Key Russia-Africa Forum in Cairo

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad Mohamed Ali Nafti will participate in the second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum as instructed by President Kais Saied. The high-level meeting is scheduled for December 19-20, 2025, in Cairo, Egypt. This engagement underscores Tunisia’s firm commitment to African joint action and its policy of openness to international partnerships. The participation aims to bolster multilateral cooperation across various sectors to serve common interests and address shared global challenges. The conference agenda will focus on reviewing the implementation of the joint…

Qatar Charity Funds Modern Primary School in Gafsa to Alleviate Classroom Overcrowding

The Governorate of Gafsa has formalized a partnership with Qatar Charity for the construction of a new, fully-equipped primary school. The agreement was signed Tuesday in a ceremony overseen by Gafsa Governor Mr. Slim Ferouja and Ms. Karima Boussalmi, Director of the Qatar Charity Office in Tunisia. The project targets the Al-Amal neighborhood in the Om Laarayes delegation, an area identified as needing enhanced schooling facilities. Slated for completion at an estimated cost of 3 million Tunisian dinars, the new institution is designed as a modern, integrated educational complex. Plans…

From Sochi to Cairo: Russia and Africa Seek to Reignite a Historic Partnership

In the coming months, the Egyptian capital will become the diplomatic stage for a significant gathering, as foreign ministers from Russia and across Africa convene to chart the future of a relationship both describe as one of old friends seeking new horizons. This ministerial conference, slated for 2025, marks a first: the official meetings of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum will be held on African soil, a move agreed upon during the inaugural ministerial in Sochi a year prior. The Forum itself, established in 2019, has already overseen two major summits—in…

Tunisia Emerges as a Crucible for Africa’s Homegrown Innovation Model

While global tech narratives often focus on scaling Silicon Valley blueprints, a more pragmatic and collaborative dynamic is taking root across Africa. The continent is forging its own innovation paradigm—one measured not by mere technological replication, but by solving local problems and boosting economic competitiveness. At the forefront of this shift is Tunisia, transforming from a startup producer into a structured laboratory for continent-wide co-innovation. This African model redefines traditional roles: startups as solvers of concrete industrial challenges, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) leveraging innovation for growth, and the state…

ALECSO Launches Digital Training for Arab Education Coordinators

The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) conducted a specialized virtual training session on December 17, 2020, for liaison officers from across the Arab world. The session aimed to enhance coordination and digital management capabilities within the region’s national education bodies. Officials from 16 Arab nations participated, including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, and Yemen. The training focused on the use of ALECSO’s new interactive platform, designed to streamline communication and project management. Liaison…

Portuguese Giant BA Glass Confirms Major Investment in Tunisia

The Portuguese multinational BA Glass, a leading producer of glass packaging, has formalized its plans for a strategic investment in Tunisia. The announcement followed a high-level meeting on Tuesday between Tunisia’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Abdelhafidh, and the group’s CEO, Tiago Moreira da Silva. During the meeting, da Silva presented the company’s global activities, its international subsidiaries, and its ongoing modernization and development projects. Tunisia was selected as a strategic destination due to its geographic location and the availability of a qualified workforce. For BA Glass, this move…

German Industrial Group LAPP Plans R&D Center in Tunisia Following High-Level Visit

The German industrial group LAPP, a global specialist in cables, wires, and connectors, has confirmed its intention to establish a Research & Development center in Tunisia. The decision was finalized following a visit by the company’s leadership to Tunis. The delegation was led by Michael Seddig, CEO & COO for the EMEA region, and Seif Allah Rached, Vice President and Head of Operations Harnessing EMEA. They were received by Jalel Tebib, Director General of FIPA Tunisia (the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency), and Hatem Essoussi, Principal Director in charge of promoting…

Tunisian Animator Rami Jarboui’s ‘The Bird’s Placebo’ Set for World Premiere at Prestigious Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival, the United States’ premier showcase for independent cinema, has selected Tunisian director and animator Rami Jarboui’s short film The Bird’s Placebo for its 2026 edition. The festival announced today that the animated work will have its world premiere on January 23, marking a significant moment for North African animation on the global stage. Scheduled to run from January 22 to February 1 in Park City, Utah, the festival is renowned for launching careers and spotlighting innovative voices. Jarboui’s inclusion places him among a curated group of international artists…