Meeting from April 24 to 26, 2026 in the state of Maryland, the annual congress of the association of Tunisian-American professionals “TAYP” highlighted the issues linked to the Tunisian diaspora, economic development and the future of the job market in the Arab world. The event brought together professionals, entrepreneurs, students and representatives of the Tunisian community in the United States, as well as participants from Canada, France and Tunisia.
The role of skills and the diaspora
Distinguished guest of this meeting, the former vice-president of the World Bank, Ferid Belhaj, underlined the importance of the role played by Tunisian public schools and universities in the training of national skills abroad. According to him, these institutions have made it possible to maintain a strong feeling of belonging to Tunisia despite the geographical distance, an essential factor in strengthening the country’s image internationally.
In his speech, Ferid Belhaj insisted on the fact that professional success is based on the ability to take risks and adapt to challenges. He recalled that the image of an individual abroad remains closely linked to that of his country of origin, thus underlining the importance of the role of the diaspora in the influence of Tunisia.
Looking back on his own career, he explained that he joined the World Bank as a legal specialist before gradually progressing there over 25 years, reaching the position of vice-president. A journey that he attributes to continuous learning, openness to new experiences and the ability to adapt in a demanding international environment.
Call to reform the economic model
On the economic front, Ferid Belhaj called for greater opening of the Tunisian economy to the private sector. He called for a simplification of the legislative and administrative framework in order to encourage investment and economic initiative, believing that the complexity and multiplication of legal texts constitute a major obstacle to development.
Set featured imageHe also insisted on the need for clear political will to accelerate structural reforms and improve the business climate, particularly in developing countries.
Addressing regional perspectives, the former head of the World Bank warned of the demographic challenges facing Arab countries by 2050. According to his estimates, nearly 300 million young people will enter the job market, a pressure that the public sector will not be able to absorb on its own.
In this context, he affirmed that the private sector will have to play a central role as the main engine of job creation and integration of young graduates and qualified skills, in order to avoid a structural employment crisis in the region.
