AI Forward Summit Intelligence Society 2026

Serving as the Summit's strategic dialogue layer and implementation compass, this high-level segment brings together Heads of Delegation to establish a shared regional direction across the four thematic pillars. Anchored by the live unveiling of the region's first common AI baseline, it transforms diverse national perspectives into a convergent vision that will guide coordinated action and shape the collective AI future.

Opening Press Registry & VIP Networking.

High level opening remarks — Shaping the Intelligence Future: Regional Strategic Visions Revealed.

HE/ Eng. Mohamed Ben Amor – Director General of the Arab ICT Organization
HE/ Mr. Ren Xianliang – SG, World Internet Conference
HE/ Mr. Sofien Hemissi – Tunisian Minister of Communication Technologies, Republic of Tunisia
HE/ Mr. Seizo Onoe – Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
HE/ Mr. Nabil Fahmy – Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.

High-Level Opening: Unveiling of the region's first common AI baseline by HL personalities.

Dr. Bilel Jamoussi – Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Global AI thought-leader.

Prof. Mohamed Hamdi – International Cybersecurity Expert, AICTO.

Key Highlights: Measuring Regional AI Readiness, Identifying Gaps & Shaping the Way Forward.

The impact of the Tunis Declaration will be measured not by its words, but by the collective action, partnerships, and mechanisms that transform commitments into tangible outcomes.

Focus: A high-level dialogue bringing together leaders from governments, international organizations, and the private sector, to address one key question: “How do we turn shared commitments into coordinated action?”

Moderator: Ms. Maryna Veuthey – Regional Engagement Lead, RealTyme SA.

Panelists:
HE/ Mr. Abdulbaset Salem Albaour – Chairman of the General Authority for Communications and Informatics, Libya
HE/ Mrs. Huda Alwahidi – Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Palestine & Head of the Executive Council of AICTO
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti – Head of Cybersecurity, Government of the United Arab Emirates
Mr. Didier Nkurikiyimfura – Director of Emerging Technologies and AI, Smart Africa.

Multi-Stakeholder Leaders' Dialogue: Translating the Tunis declaration 2025 into practical inter-regional execution and measurable implementation pathways through a set of actionable recommendations.

Impact Presentation.

Key question: “How can we translate global AI governance principles and scientific insights into a Regional Delivery Agenda that enables coordinated action, strengthens trust, advances digital sovereignty, and contributes to the global AI governance agenda?”

Moderator: Mr. Thomas McCarthy – Chief Executive Officer, OSP Cyber Academy UK & UAE; Chief Executive Officer, Cyber News Global; Advisory Board Member, Cyber Centre of Excellence UK (Recorded Video).

Keynote — Shaping the Future of AI Through Cyberdiplomacy: From Dialogue to Delivery: Mr. Amandeep Gill – Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, United Nations.

Panelists:
Ms. Ifelanwa Ajayi – Data Protection Officer, RAND Europe
Dr. Hoda Baraka – Advisor to the Egyptian Minister of ICT for Technology Talents Development, LAS Permanent Committee for AI
Mr. Dimitri Gugunava – Georgian Member of the Council of Europe's Steering Committee on New and Emerging Digital Technologies (CDNET)
Adv. Lufuno T. Tshikalange – Founder and Executive Director, Orizur Consulting Enterprise
Dr. Clara Neppel – Senior Director, IEEE.

High-Level Panel Output: A Regional Delivery Agenda that consolidates strategic recommendations and actionable pathways, providing a regional contribution to the next phase of the Global AI Governance Dialogue while advancing policy alignment, multi-stakeholder cooperation, capacity building, and resilient AI governance ecosystems.

This session will mark the official launch of the AWAIL Alliance: a regional network designed to connect women leaders, experts, institutions, innovators, and partners to foster collaboration, mentorship, capacity building, and leadership opportunities across the Arab and African regions.

One prompt, Many Voices to One Intelligent Future: “What is the single most critical baseline change required to move regional female talent into sovereign tech leadership?”

Moderation & Introduction (AWAIL Program/Alliance):
Ms. Nada Laabidi – Head of Projects and Planning Department & Leader of the AWAIL Program, AICTO
Ms. Houyem Ghrairi – CEO, GTC.

Keynote: Ms. Sylvia Poll – Senior Gender and Youth Advisor to the ITU Secretary General, ITU. Recorded video: Ms. Mariya Gabriel – UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information. High-Level Guest: HE/ Mrs. Huda Alwahidi – Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Palestine & Head of the Executive Council of AICTO.

Panelists:
Dr. Mona Demaidi – Vice President of Artificial Intelligence, Arab American University Palestine
Dr. Nadia Brahmi – Technology Director, GSMA
Dr. Hoda Baraka – Advisor to the Egyptian Minister of ICT for Technology Talents Development, LAS Permanent Committee for AI
Ms. Ifelanwa Ajayi – Data Protection Officer, RAND Europe
Ms. Nabeelah Wada Aliyu – Chief Operations Officer (COO), Jadeite Global Solutions (JGS)
Dr. Meltem Yildirim Imamoglu – Founder Chair, 3G Vakfı Global
Adv. Lufuno T. Tshikalange – Founder and Executive Director, Orizur Consulting Enterprise
Ms. Nour Nassar – Director General of Government Information Technology and Rapporteur of the National Artificial Intelligence Team, Palestine
Ms. Elham Arfaoui – Ambassador, Women in AI Tunisia, Strategic Business Consultant, Crown Technologies
Dr. Rim Faiz – Professor at IHEC of Carthage, Tunisia
Ms. Suha Osman – AI File Officer, LAS
Ms. Nihel Ben Youssef – Cybersecurity Trainer, Cybersecurity Woman Volunteer of the Year.

The AWAIL Fire Ignition: Rebranding the traditional panel into a smart introduction, a global frontier keynote, and a fast-paced 8-leader synchronized “Fire Talk.”

Output: Official activation of the AWAIL Alliance with immediate live registry scaling and resource allocation commitments.

Structured networking & interactive deployment sandbox visits.

The discussion will address key questions: “How can we overcome infrastructure, data, and sovereignty challenges to build trusted digital foundations that enable scalable and intelligent transformation?” “How can regional cooperation enable trusted digital infrastructure, shared data ecosystems, and sovereign capabilities that power the next generation of Intelligent Digital transformation?”

Keynote & Moderator: Dr. Mona Nabil Demaidi – Vice President for Artificial Intelligence & Director of International Relations, Arab American University Palestine.

Keynote 1 — Agentic AI: Dr. Mohamad Nawar Al-Awa – Regional Advisor on Technology for Development, UN-ESCWA. Keynote 2: Mr. Ultan Mulligan – Chief Services Officer, ETSI.

Panelists:
Mr. François Rodriguez – Chief Commercial Officer, RealTyme SA
Ms. Raoudha Khelif – UNDP Regional Expert, Digital Transformation & Government Innovation
Mr. Didier Nkurikiyimfura – Director of Emerging Technologies and AI, Smart Africa.

Action Panel: A solution-oriented roadmap identifying actionable pathways to: strengthen sovereign digital capabilities; enable trusted data ecosystems and cross-border collaboration; advance interoperable and resilient infrastructure; mobilize partnerships and investments for shared digital assets.

Moderator: Prof. Mohamed Hamdi – Senior International Cybersecurity Expert, AICTO.

Discussion:
Ms. Nabeelah Wada Aliyu – Chief Operations Officer (COO), Jadeite Global Solutions (JGS)
Mr. Jos Remy – Global Leader Regulatory Standards, Head of Formal Standards and Regulations, Philips PS&Q – Regulatory Affairs.

Fireside Clash (20-Min Sprint): A high-velocity, unscripted head-to-head debate between leading cybersecurity experts exploring the escalating race between AI-powered cyberattacks and AI-driven cyber defense. The discussion will examine whether defensive capabilities can outpace increasingly autonomous threats, while addressing resilience, trust, and the future of secure digital ecosystems.

Output: Actionable recommendations for strengthening AI-enabled cybersecurity resilience, trusted digital infrastructure, and regional cyber cooperation, to be integrated into the AI-Forward Regional Action Framework.

This track will address the key enablers and barriers shaping the growth of the regional AI innovation ecosystem, focusing on access to compute, data, capital, markets, and strategic partnerships. It will explore how governments, investors, industry, and startups can collaborate to create scalable pathways from innovation to market impact.

Key Question: “How can we build an enabling innovation ecosystem where AI startups have the resources, market access, and partnerships needed to scale and compete globally?”

Keynote & Moderator: Dr. Mohammad Firas Bakour – Chairman of the Arab Union for Internet and Communications, ARISPA.

Panelists:
Dr. Meltem Yildirim Imamoglu – Founder Chair, 3G Vakfı Global
Dr. Bara Asfour – President of the Arab American University (AAUP), Palestine
Eng. Ahmed Oteify – International Telecommunications & Digital Economy Expert
Mr. Ayman Ghoneim – Assistant Secretary General, Arab Federation of Digital Economy
Prof. Farouk Kamoun – Professor Emeritus, President, SESAME University Advisory Board.

Ecosystem Panel: A set of actionable recommendations to: strengthen AI entrepreneurship and investment ecosystems; expand access to compute, data, financing, and market opportunities; develop effective public-private mechanisms to accelerate startup growth and innovation.

Mr. Ahmed Said – Advisor to the Minister of CIT and Head of Sector at the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) of Egypt.

Impact Presentation.

Live Analytics Wrap-up: Real-time synthesis of the day's strategic conclusions, capturing the baseline convergence points to set the agenda for delivery.

Serving as the Summit's frontier exploration and action layer, Day Four moves from dialogue and alignment into tangible execution. It represents the operational heart of the Summit, where innovation is showcased, partnerships are forged, investments are mobilized, and the Regional Action Framework “AI4All” is activated through concrete commitments and real-world adoption pathways.

Through live demonstrations, strategic deal-making, and high-impact exchanges, the Summit brings the ELITE experience to life. Connecting E-Health, Leadership, Investment, Think Together, and Excellence to showcase how AI can transform sectors, empower people, foster collaboration across generations, and celebrate those shaping the region's intelligent future.

E – E-Health: Advancing AI-enabled healthcare innovation and inclusive access to better services.

L – Leadership: Empowering the next generation of AI leaders and decision-makers.

I – Investment: Unlocking capital, partnerships, and scalable solutions to accelerate the regional AI ecosystem.

T – Think Together: Fostering an intergenerational dialogue where policymakers, industry leaders, youth, and students co-create the future of AI through shared perspectives, collaboration, and collective action.

E – Excellence: Celebrating visionary individuals, organizations, and innovations transforming AI ambition into measurable impact.

Action Setting: Outlining execution metrics for the “AI4ALL” Forward deployment frameworks.

Advancing AI-enabled healthcare innovation, inclusive access, and transformative solutions that improve quality of life across the region.

HE/ Mr. Mustapha Ferjani – Minister of Health, Republic of Tunisia.

Opening Focus: Why Health Is the Region's Defining AI Test Case.

Dr. Moez Ben Ali – Healthcare Thought Leader, CancerZero · CDI.

Keynote + Live Simulation: An AI early-warning system detecting, tracing, and containing a simulated regional disease outbreak in real time.

Moderator: Mr. Oussama Kamel – Owner, Mercury Communications, Egypt.

Panelists:
Dr. Chihebeddine Romdhani – President of the Innovation Committee, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis; Head of Department of Cardiovascular Anesthesia & Critical Care & Organ Transplantation, Military Hospital of Tunis, MD, Professor
Ms. Hanene Boussi – Vice-President of the Tunisian Society of Telemedicine and eHealth, Delegated Vice-President of the University of Tunis El Manar
Dr. Bilel Jamoussi – Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), ITU
Dr. Moez Ben Ali – Healthcare Thought Leader, CancerZero · CDI.

Moving AI in health from promise to deployment: exploring safe, validated, sovereign, and equitable regional ecosystems.

Mr. Bitsindou Van Dorloi – Technical Account Manager & Cybersecurity Evangelist (Francophone Regions), ManageEngine.

Impact Presentation.

Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Ahmed El-Sherbiny – Professor of Telecommunication Systems and Networks, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, and Chairman of the Telecommunications and Information Technology Research Council, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Speaker: Prof. Ibrahim El-Dukheri – Director General, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD).

Fireside Chat (20-Min Sprint): A high-impact dialogue connecting global UN sustainable goals with localized, high-tech agricultural solutions.

Output: Identification of scalable AI-powered agricultural solutions and collaborative opportunities to advance climate-smart farming across the region.

VIP B2B matchmaking and technical pavilion tours.

Converts innovation into scalable investment opportunities and impact. The Regional AI Investment Forum (RAIF) will bring together AI innovators, startups, investors, financial institutions, governments, and ecosystem enablers to catalyze investment, foster strategic partnerships, and accelerate the scaling of AI-driven solutions.

Key Question: “How can we unlock investment pathways and build enabling financial ecosystems that transform AI innovation into scalable regional and global impact?”

Keynote & Moderator: Dr. Pierre El Khoury – Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, NDU; IP/ICT Specialist Lawyer, Lebanon.

Panelists:
Mr. Yassine Friaa – Director General, La Poste Tunisienne
Mr. Mohamed Salah Frad – Director General, UGFS NA: United Gulf Financial Services–North Africa
Ms. Dolele Sylla – Senior Digital Specialist, World Bank
Ms. Imen Hbiri Mnejja – Co-Founder/CEO, Robocare; Expert Digital Transformation, Sfax Industry 4.0 Center at GIZ Tunisie
Prof. Abdelmajid BenAmara – Secretary General, Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils (FASRC)
Dr. Fahd Fayez Al-Amleh – Secretary-General, Arab Network for Creativity and Innovation (ANCI).

Deal Room / Forum: A set of actionable investment pathways and partnership mechanisms to: mobilize investment and blended finance models across Arab-Africa AI Corridors to scale infrastructure and startups; strengthen AI investment ecosystems across the region; connect startups with investors, markets, and strategic partners.

Bringing together leaders, youth, innovators, and emerging talents from diverse cultural and generational backgrounds to explore how collaborative perspectives can shape the next generation of AI models, datasets, and architectures. This session highlights how empowering the next generation, especially girls, to lead in AI, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies ensures that future intelligence systems are inclusive, culturally grounded, and globally resilient.

Key Question: “How can cross-cultural and intergenerational dialogue ensure that tomorrow's AI models reflect diverse human values, sovereign needs, and inclusive futures?”

Key Discussion Topics:
From Consumers to Model Creators — moving youth from passive technology adoption to active contributors in AI architecture and dataset curation
Cultural Sovereignty in AI — infusing local heritage, languages, and diverse regional frameworks into foundational AI models
Girls in AI & Tech — breaking early technical barriers and ensuring equitable leadership representation in digital development
Reverse Mentorship in Practice — what senior decision-makers and digital natives can teach one another about ethical, agile, and human-centric innovation
Designing an Inclusive Intelligence Society — co-creating cross-border, multi-generational ecosystems where tomorrow's leaders drive sustainable technological value.

Moderators:
Ms. Ifelanwa Ajayi – Data Protection Officer, RAND Europe
Mr. Thomas McCarthy – Chief Executive Officer, OSP Cyber Academy UK & UAE; Chief Executive Officer, Cyber News Global; Advisory Board Member, Cyber Centre of Excellence UK.

Panelists (Leaders and Youth):
HE/ Mrs. Huda Alwahidi – Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Palestine & Head of the Executive Council of AICTO
Ms. Sylvia Poll – Senior Gender and Youth Advisor to the ITU Secretary General, ITU
Ms. Nabeelah Wada Aliyu – Chief Operations Officer (COO), Jadeite Global Solutions (JGS)
Dr. Hoda Baraka – Advisor to the Egyptian Minister of ICT for Technology Talents Development, LAS Permanent Committee for AI
Prof. Dr. Ahmed El-Sherbiny – Professor of Telecommunication Systems and Networks, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University
Prof. Mohamed Hamdi – Senior International Cybersecurity Expert, AICTO
Mr. Ultan Mulligan – Chief Services Officer, ETSI
Mr. Amor Gueddana – Founder of Q-AI Hub, University of Carthage
Mr. Amine Ellouze – Founder of Robology Lab.

Format: The 3Gen Cognitive Mirror – a reverse-mentorship dialogue bringing together Senior Leaders, Young Professionals & Fresh Graduates, and High School STEM Students to challenge assumptions, exchange perspectives, and co-design solutions.

Strategic Output: Participants will jointly draft and endorse a set of Youth & Girls Empowerment Commitments, including recommendations on: youth participation in AI policymaking and governance; early STEM and AI exposure for girls; intergenerational mentorship and reverse-mentorship mechanisms; AI apprenticeships, internships, and entrepreneurship pathways; regional collaboration through the AI4ALL Regional Action Framework.

Presentation of the Summit's key messages and announcement of the AI4ALL Declaration, reflecting the collective vision and priority actions emerging from the Summit discussions, followed by the official closing of AI-Forward Summit 2026.

Awards Ceremony: Honoring exceptional individuals, organizations, countries, and initiatives demonstrating breakthrough contributions shaping the region's AI future.

Closing networking, final pavilion tours, and global media wrap-ups.