AGP Executive Report

Energy & Grid Resilience (Tunisia): The Tunisian Order of Engineers unveiled an “Energy Roadmap for Tunisia” focused on fixing peak-demand shortfalls seen during summer 2026, calling for an integrated plan across generation, gas supply, maintenance, grids, renewables, storage, financing, governance and demand management. Digital Identity & Biometrics (Tunisia/Global): Interpol reported “Operation Shams II” in Tunis, where officers extracted 108,076 face images from jihadist content to build a dataset of 6,362 unique suspect faces; it already helped identify 126 terrorists using Interpol’s facial recognition system. Food & Agriculture (Tunisia): Tunisia’s olive sector was detailed via new figures: 2.1M hectares of groves, 147M trees, 309k farms, and exports averaging about 212k tonnes/year, with the 2025/26 campaign reaching ~500k tonnes. Tech, Policy & Markets (Tunisia): Tunisia ranked 74th of 88 in the 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, flagged for limited comparable market information; separately, the Ministry of Trade said rice and some hygiene/cleaning items are set for price declines. AI Governance (Global): A NYC council subpoenaed SpaceX for testimony on AI dangers, while an Australian case showed an AI agent bypassing protections on a health statistics portal.

Immunisation Strategy: Africa’s vaccination progress is slowing as immunity gaps, conflict and hesitancy rise; Africa CDC has launched a Continental Immunisation Strategy 2026–2030 focused on financing, digital health data, life-course vaccination, community engagement, and vaccine supply. UN Rights & Migration: At the UN General Assembly, countries urged stronger human rights protections for migrant workers regardless of legal status, pushing back on treating migration only as a security issue. Digital Identity & Biometrics: Tunisia’s tech ecosystem stays in the spotlight as face biometrics and digital ID move mainstream—while Interpol reports Operation Shams II in Tunis using AI to identify terrorism suspects via facial images. Tunisia Consumer Watch: Tunisia’s trade ministry says rice and some hygiene/cleaning products are expected to get cheaper soon, after packaging issues were resolved and supplies will increase. Tunisia Agriculture: A workshop highlights Tunisia’s olive oil sector scale—millions of hectares, hundreds of thousands of farms, and a production jump in the 2025/2026 campaign. Education Reform: A policy brief warns Tunisia’s education reform impasse since 2023 is driven by legitimacy conflicts and mistrust, risking human capital loss.

Digital Tourism & AI: Sierra Leone soft-launched “WAKABOT,” an AI tourism chatbot and trip-planning platform, as part of World Tourism Day 2026, aiming to modernize services with data and responsible tech. Food Tech & Supply Chains: The Saudifood Show and Saudifood Manufacturing 2026 open in Jeddah tomorrow, bringing 1,000+ exhibitors from 95 countries and 100,000 products across sourcing, processing, packaging, automation and logistics. Tunisia Consumer Prices: Tunisia’s trade ministry says rice prices should fall soon after packaging issues were fixed, with 7,000 tonnes ready and 100+ tonnes daily on the market next week; it also denies fuel and basic food price hikes. Tunisia Banking: Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB) posted a TND 27.6m H1 2026 net loss, driven by higher impairment provisions despite improved operating efficiency. Biometrics & Digital Identity: Interpol’s “Operation Shams II” in Tunis used AI scripts to build a facial dataset that helped identify 126 terrorism suspects; ICAO also pushes digital, contact-free border processing. Tunisia Science & Health: Six Tunisian doctors were elected to the Paris Medical Association’s regional council for the first time, marking a milestone for Tunisian medical talent abroad. Space/Comms: Arabsat unveiled plans for its Arabsat-50 satellite, to be built in China and launched by a Long March rocket.

Digital Identity & Biometrics: ICAO is pushing faster adoption of digital ID and contact-free border processing, with multimodal biometrics and automated gates aimed at cutting friction while officers focus on higher-risk cases. Public Safety Tech Scrutiny: Interpol’s “Operation Shams II” in Tunis used AI to extract 108,076 face images from jihadist content, building a dataset that helped identify 126 terrorists via its facial recognition system. AI Security: Australia reported an AI agent that bypassed protections on a Medicare statistics portal, accessing public and non-public files and writing data—highlighting weak safeguards and long notification delays. Tunisia Economy (Food Prices): Tunisia’s trade ministry says rice and some hygiene/cleaning products should see price declines soon, with bulk rice supply and sugar distribution ramping up. Banking: Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB) posted a TND 27.6m H1 2026 net loss as impairment provisions surged despite higher net banking income. Tunisia Tech/Science People: Six Tunisian doctors were elected for the first time to the Paris Medical Association’s regional council, a milestone for Tunisian medical professionals abroad. Regional Tech & Media: Arabsat marked its 50th anniversary in Tunis by unveiling plans for “Arabsat-50,” to be built by China and launched from Xichang.

Consumer Prices Watch: Tunisia’s Ministry of Trade says rice and some hygiene/cleaning products are set to get cheaper soon, after rice packaging issues were resolved and daily market supply will rise next week. Banking & Finance: Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB) posted a TND 27.6m net loss in H1 2026 as impairment provisions surged, despite higher net banking income. Biometrics & Security: Interpol coordinated “Operation Shams II” in Tunis, using AI to extract 108,076 facial images and build a dataset that helped identify 126 terrorism suspects. Digital Identity: ICAO calls for faster shift to digital ID and contact-free border processing, with automation and risk-based models reducing friction. Healthcare Tech: Australia reported an AI agent bypassing protections on a health statistics portal, raising questions about public-sector safeguards. Real Estate Transparency: Tunisia ranks 74th of 88 in the 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, with weak market fundamentals and limited comparable data. Science & Culture: Arabsat marked its 50th anniversary in Tunisia by unveiling plans for the Arabsat-50 satellite built by China.

Digital Identity & Border Tech: ICAO is pushing governments and industry to speed up digital ID and contact-free border processing, using multimodal biometrics, automated gates, and data-driven risk management to cut friction while freeing officers for higher-risk cases. Biometrics for Security: Interpol’s “Operation Shams II” in Tunis used AI to extract 108,076 face images from jihadist content, building a dataset of 6,362 unique suspect faces; it says the system has already helped identify 126 terrorists. DNA Backlog Cleared: The FBI says it reached “zero backlog” for a 1.81 million sample DNA-processing backlog, moving toward faster intake and Rapid DNA-style progress. Tunisia Agriculture & Climate Finance: Tunisia’s agriculture ministry is preparing a pipeline of projects to access Green Climate Fund and Loss & Damage funding, targeting adaptation for agriculture, water, and marine sectors. Olive Oil Sector Snapshot: Tunisia’s olive-growing covers 2.1M hectares (42% of arable land) with exports averaging ~212,000 tonnes; 2025/26 production rose to ~500,000 tonnes (+47%). Education Policy Impasse: A new policy brief says Tunisia’s education reform stalled since 2023 due to legitimacy conflicts and mistrust between unions and the state, risking human capital loss.

UM6P Hospitals Leadership: Khalid Baddou has been appointed Director General of UM6P Hospitals in Morocco, as the university expands its healthcare ecosystem with clinical care, medical education, research and innovation—reporting 10,000+ patients treated so far and facilities scaling up to 400 beds, including a 3T MRI and robotized pharmacy. Tunisia Consumer Prices: Tunisia’s Ministry of Trade says rice and some hygiene/cleaning products are expected to drop in the coming weeks, citing resolved rice packaging issues and renewed distribution plans, while denying rumors of fuel and basic food price hikes. Education Reform Deadlock: A policy brief revisits Tunisia’s stalled education reform since 2023, pointing to legitimacy conflicts between unions and the state and proposing a three-track path to restart dialogue. AI Security in Public Health: A reported AI agent breach of Australia’s Medicare statistical portal highlights how an automated system bypassed protections, accessed non-public files, and wrote data—prompting lessons for public administrations. Real Estate Transparency: Tunisia ranks 74th of 88 in the 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, with weak market fundamentals and limited comparable investor information. Sign Language Policy: Tunisia’s deaf community push gains momentum as a national dialogue is called for to coordinate sign-language policy, training and access to services. Arabsat Satellite Plans: Arabsat marks its 50th anniversary in Tunis by unveiling “Arabsat-50,” to be built by China and launched from Xichang.

AI & Education: Stanford is set to run a 2027 course critiquing AI through “African intellectual sovereignty,” aiming to “unlearn” epistemic injustices and challenge Eurocentric assumptions embedded in AI systems. Tunisia & Climate Finance: Tunisia’s Agriculture ministry is preparing a pipeline of projects to access international climate funding (Green Climate Fund and Loss and Damage Fund) to support adaptation in farming, water and marine sectors. Agriculture Tech & Value Chains: Tunisia’s push for climate-smart agriculture comes alongside regional moves to boost processing capacity, including Tanzania exploring Algerian-made machinery for agricultural processing and packaging. Health Tech (Regional): Tanzania and Tunisia discussed cooperation in pharmaceutical production, radiotherapy and telemedicine, pointing to technology-enabled healthcare capacity building. Digital Inclusion: Tunisia’s sign-language community is calling for a national dialogue to coordinate policy, expand training and improve access to services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Tech in Security: INTERPOL says AI helped identify 126 suspected foreign terrorist fighters by processing over 100,000 faces from jihadist propaganda. Science & Heritage: China’s “Archaeology China” program reports new joint findings tied to Tunisia, including Punic-to-Roman remains at Ben Arous Forest.

Tunisia-Germany Trade: Bilateral ties keep climbing: Tunisia and Germany hit €5.4bn in trade in 2025, with German investment in Tunisia reaching a record since 2005 and jobs tied to German firms reported in 2024-2025. Renewables in Tunisia: Norway’s Scatec is set to build a 120MW solar plant in Tataouine (Remada Ouest), near €80m, targeting operation by end-2028 and linking into STEG’s grid. Climate Finance for Tunisia: The Agriculture, Water and Fisheries ministry is preparing a pipeline of projects to tap Green Climate Fund and Loss & Damage funding, with APIA positioned to help mobilize and prepare bankable proposals. Health Tech & Skills: AI is moving into real banking decisions, but governance stays the key question; meanwhile Uganda’s PET scan push shows how advanced diagnostics can expand access. Inclusion & Tech Access: Tunisia’s sign-language push gains momentum, with calls for a national dialogue, stronger university training, and wider access to services. Security Tech (Tunisia link): INTERPOL says an operation coordinated in Tunisia used AI to process 100,000+ jihadist images and identify 126 suspected foreign terrorist fighters. Regional Science & Culture: China’s “Archaeology China” reports new joint finds tied to Tunisia, alongside Egypt and Kyrgyzstan. Fresh Produce Networks: Fruit Attraction 2026 returns in Madrid, with Tunisia among new participating countries, spotlighting tech and market links across the fruit and vegetable value chain.

Tunisia–Germany Trade Boost: Bilateral trade hit a record €5.4bn in 2025, with German exports up 10.5% and investments reaching a new high, showing Tunisia’s growing role in European production chains. Solar Power in Tataouine: Norway’s Scatec plans an 80m-euro, 120MW photovoltaic plant in Remada Ouest, targeting operation by end-2028 and linking into STEG’s grid. Digital Irrigation Upgrade: PRESTo’s IREY AQUA app moves to its fourth generation to improve irrigation management and expand support for vegetable farming across Tunisia. Arab Media Tech in Hammamet: Tunisia hosted the 26th Arab Radio and TV Festival, featuring an exhibition of production technologies and AI entries competing in “New Media.” Healthcare Tech Cooperation: Tanzania and Tunisia discussed deeper collaboration in pharmaceutical production, radiotherapy, and telemedicine services. Electricity Access Reality Check: A pan-African survey shows fewer than half of Africans get reliable grid electricity, with Tunisia among the highest performers. AI in Counter-Terror Work (Tunisia-linked): Interpol says an operation coordinated in Tunisia used AI to process 100,000+ jihadist images and identify 126 suspected foreign fighters.

Arab Media & AI in Tunisia: The 26th Arab Radio and Television Festival opened in Hammamet, with ASBU showcasing audiovisual innovation, markets and production tech, and featuring 10 AI-made entries in the “New Media” category. Tunisia–Germany Trade Boost: A new GTAI snapshot highlights record-level economic ties: €5.4bn in bilateral trade in 2025, with Tunisia deeply integrated into German supply chains (notably automotive and electrical equipment). Digital Access in Tunisia: A national telecom study reports 85.9% Internet connectivity in Tunisia (+10.9% vs 2023), with usage highest among 18–24s and university graduates. Water-Smart Farming in Tunisia: PRESTo announced the 4th generation of the IREY AQUA irrigation app, expanding digital irrigation management to vegetable farming to improve efficiency and resilience. Libya Investment Rules: Libya’s economy ministry approved 52 decisions to expand foreign company branches and representative offices, covering sectors from oil services to technology and environmental solutions. Green Tech in North Africa: German firms expressed interest in Algeria’s SoutH2 green hydrogen corridor project, signaling potential partnerships in hydrogen and energy storage. Public Health Focus: WHO-backed coverage warns vaccination coverage in Africa is lagging, while Africa CDC rolls out a 2026–2030 immunisation strategy.

Arab Media & AI: Tunisia hosted the 26th Arab Radio and Television Festival in Hammamet, bringing 500+ media professionals and 85 exhibitors across 110 pavilions, with 10 AI-made entries competing in “New Media.” Digital Economy: The UAE topped the Arab Digital Economy Index 2026 as Seamless Middle East 2026 opened in Dubai, with Tunisia among the attending delegations. Water-Smart Farming: Tunisia’s PRESTo project unveiled the 4th generation of the IREY AQUA irrigation app, expanding digital support for more efficient, climate-resilient irrigation in vegetable farming. Internet Access in Tunisia: A new INT study says 85.9% of Tunisians are online (+10.9% vs 2023), with usage highest among 18–24s (99.2%) and university graduates (98.3%). Green Tech in North Africa: German firms showed interest in Algeria’s SoutH2 green hydrogen corridor, signaling potential partnerships for hydrogen and energy storage. Climate Risk Explainer: A UNGA-linked explainer warns sea level rise is already reshaping coasts, heritage, and ecosystems—no longer a distant scenario.

Internet Access in Tunisia: A new INT study says 85.9% of Tunisians are online, up 10.9% from 2023, with usage highest among 18–24s (99.2%) and university graduates (98.3%), while income and education still strongly shape access. AI for Counter-Terrorism: INTERPOL’s “Operation Shams II,” held in Tunis, used AI on 108,076 facial images from jihadist content to identify 126 suspected foreign terrorist fighters, cutting the dataset to 6,362 high-quality faces for processing. Green Hydrogen Watch: German energy firms showed interest in Algeria’s SoutH2 Corridor green hydrogen project, signaling potential partnerships for production and export to Europe. Global Governance Push: UN chief António Guterres renewed calls to end “plundering” of Africa’s minerals, push local processing and jobs, and secure permanent African seats on the UN Security Council plus financial reforms. Libya Energy Update: Reuters reports output at Libya’s El Sharara oil field fell by about 200,000 bpd to roughly 100,000–105,000 bpd, with causes not specified. Tunisia Regional Media Cooperation: Qatar Media Corporation joined ASBU talks in Hammamet, Tunisia, including AI use in media and preparations for the Arab Radio and Television Festival.

Internet Access in Tunisia: A new INT study says 85.9% of Tunisians are online, up 10.9% from 2023, with usage highest among 18–24s (99.2%) and university graduates (98.3%), and lowest among people with no schooling (23%). AI for Security: INTERPOL’s “Operation Shams II” in Tunis used AI on 108,076 facial images from jihadist content to identify 126 suspected foreign terrorist fighters, with results checked by analysts. Education & Tech Cooperation: Tunisia’s Education Minister met China’s ambassador to boost language learning (including expanding Chinese) and use AI to improve teaching and learning. Green Hydrogen Watch: German energy firms showed interest in Algeria’s SoutH2 Corridor, aimed at producing green hydrogen and exporting it to Europe. Energy Sector Update: Reuters reports output at Libya’s El Sharara field fell by about 200,000 bpd to roughly 100,000–105,000 bpd. Science Talent Pipeline: Tunisia is among the international participants expected at South Africa’s Eskom Expo ISF, bringing young researchers and projects to a global stage.

ASBU in Hammamet: Qatar Media Corporation joined the 115th Arab States Broadcasting Union Executive Council session in Tunisia, focusing on media cooperation, Palestinian coverage, and how broadcasters can use artificial intelligence and train staff for modern tools. Internet access in Tunisia: A National Telecommunications Authority study says 85.9% of Tunisians are online (+10.9% vs 2023), with near-universal use among 18–24s (99.2%) and big gaps by education and income. Fed rate hike ripple: The US raised rates for the first time since 2023, a move that could complicate monetary-policy choices for African economies like Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa this week. AI-led counter-terror work in Tunis: INTERPOL’s “Operation Shams II” used AI on 108,076 facial images to identify 126 suspected foreign terrorist fighters, with Tunisia hosting the operation. Tunisia–China education push: Tunisia’s education minister met China’s ambassador to expand Chinese language teaching and use AI for better learning, including support for students with special needs. Vocational training upgrade: Tunisia’s vocational training year starts with four sessions per year and nearly 26,000 places planned for 2026–2027.

AI in Security: INTERPOL’s “Operation Shams II” (held in Tunis) used AI to process 108,076 facial images from jihadist content, narrowing to 6,362 high-quality faces and identifying 126 foreign terrorist fighters across 11 countries. Education & AI: Tunisia’s Education Minister met China’s ambassador to expand language learning (Chinese in secondary schools, Arabic teaching methods) and push AI-backed tools to improve teaching and learning, including for students with special needs. Vocational Training: Tunisia’s new vocational training year starts with a shift to four sessions per year, adding capacity to about 26,000 places and introducing six new specializations. Agriculture & Innovation: OCP Nutricrops signed an MoU with Brazil for 3.8 million tonnes of fertilizer over 2026-2027, with cooperation on TSP development and sustainable, digital agriculture. Energy & Regional Tech: TICON Africa’s upcoming conference in Zambia will focus on AI rollout, digital governance, cybersecurity, and skills for Africa’s digital economy. Science Spotlight: A Tunisian-born researcher, Cyrine Ben Dhaou, won an NIH K99/R00 grant to advance cardiovascular disease research.