Tunisia
The Arab Federation for Digital Economy participated in the sixth session of the Committee on Technology for Development of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), held in Tunis on November 4 and 5, 2026, in cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of Communication Technologies. Representatives of Arab member states, as well as a number of ambassadors and regional and international organizations, also participated. The Federation was represented at the meetings by Dr. Ayman Ghoneim, Assistant Secretary-General of the Federation.
The Committee meets every two years as an intergovernmental framework for reviewing the progress of technological development programs and discussing priorities for work and technical cooperation for the next session. Its adopted recommendations are crucial in guiding ESCWA’s programs and plans, as well as related arrangements for resource allocation and funding, in accordance with established procedures within the United Nations system. The session saw the transfer of the Committee’s chairmanship from the State of Palestine to the State of Libya, with the participation of high-level ESCWA officials, reflecting the institutional significance of the deliberations and decisions under consideration.
The session focused on the future of the Arab digital agenda for the next decade, digital government transformation and the maturity of digital services, bridging the digital divide, and readiness for and governance of emerging technologies. It also addressed the use of artificial intelligence agents in public services, regional cooperation to develop AI governance frameworks, and the technical activities implemented by ESCWA in collaboration with its member states.
During the discussions, the Federation emphasized the importance of finalizing the update of the Arab Vision for the Digital Economy within the framework of developing the Arab Digital Agenda. This will enhance integration with the League of Arab States and the United Nations system, while preserving the Federation’s knowledge and technical contribution to this project. Dr. Ayman Ghoneim noted the necessity for the update to encompass the rapid transformations in the digital economy, particularly artificial intelligence and robotics, digital currencies and assets, the role of central banks, and the development of cross-border digital payments. Representatives from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also participated remotely and expressed their readiness to contribute to the update process.
The Federation discussed with the ESCWA technical team, led by Dr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, opportunities to leverage ESCWA’s systems for collecting data and indicators from Arab countries, as well as its research library and technical expertise, in developing the Arab Digital Economy Index. This approach aims to build upon existing national databases and communication mechanisms, and to develop a measurement methodology that can be regularly updated, thereby enhancing the quality of results and reducing duplication of efforts and costs. This initiative received initial approval, with the understanding that the necessary technical and institutional arrangements will be finalized within the framework of the existing cooperation between the two parties.
The joint cooperation meetings also addressed the importance of supporting the “Madar” initiative – the Arab Projects Portal – as one of the strategic work tracks that unites the Federation with its regional partners, including ESCWA. The initiative aims to connect Arab projects and entities with partnership, investment, and international cooperation opportunities, while leveraging the institutional networks and expertise of partners to develop the initiative and expand participation. This comes as a continuation of ongoing cooperation and does not represent an announcement of new funding or implementation arrangements during this session.
The meetings saw the participation of representatives from the League of Arab States, the Arab Organization for Administrative Development, and the Arab Organization for Information and Communication Technologies, in addition to delegations from member states. In her opening remarks, delivered via video conference, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Executive Secretary of ESCWA, highlighted the Arab vision for the digital economy and cooperation with the Federation, emphasizing the importance of continuing joint efforts in this field.
At the conclusion of its participation, the Federation stressed the importance of moving from strategic agreements to technical action plans that can be implemented, especially in updating the Arab vision for the digital economy, developing the Arab index, supporting the Madar initiative, and taking advantage of ESCWA’s research, technical and institutional capabilities, in a way that contributes to supporting digital economic integration among Arab countries.
