Tunisia
The Arab Federation for Digital Economy participated in the second edition of the Artificial Intelligence Forward Summit (AI-Forward Summit 2026), which was launched on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in the Republic of Tunisia, under the slogan “Shaping the Future of Intelligence: From Vision to Value.” It was organized by the Arab Organization for Communication and Information Technologies in cooperation with the Ministry of Communication Technologies of the Republic of Tunisia, and with the presence and participation of His Excellency Nabil Fahmy, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.
The Federation was represented at the summit by His Excellency Professor Dr. Ahmed Mustafa Al-Sherbini, Secretary-General of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, who participated in the dialogue and discussions that addressed the future of artificial intelligence, the importance of moving from formulating strategies and visions to implementation and achieving a tangible impact, in addition to issues of governance, trust and digital sovereignty, capacity building, innovation and investment, and supporting Arab, African and international cooperation.
His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Mustafa Al-Sherbini affirmed that the Federation’s participation in this summit comes within the framework of its interest in following up on the rapid transformations in the field of artificial intelligence, and supporting the Arab dialogue on building digital and artificial intelligence systems that are more capable of serving development, the economy and society.
Dr. El-Sherbiny added that the current phase requires a shift from visions and strategies to applications and projects that deliver real value and tangible impact. This necessitates expanding the frameworks of Arab and international cooperation, investing in talent, infrastructure, data, and innovation, and establishing governance frameworks that ensure the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Furthermore, building a more competitive and inclusive digital future requires Arab countries to be active partners in developing technology and shaping its future, not merely users of it.
The summit addressed a number of strategic themes, including artificial intelligence governance and digital sovereignty, infrastructure, data and computing, innovation and investment, skills development, as well as applications of artificial intelligence in vital sectors, with the participation of officials, experts and representatives of governments, international and regional organizations, the private sector, academic institutions and innovation communities.
The participation of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy in the summit confirms its keenness to keep pace with international and regional discussions related to artificial intelligence, and to contribute to the exchange of experiences and the presentation of visions that support building Arab systems that are more prepared to benefit from technological transformations and enhance their developmental and economic impact.
