Archives des Most Read - mdi-international

Healthcare Hub: A New Strategic Partnership Between MDI and NYU Urban Lab!

Ghazi Ben Ahmed — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 21:01:00 +0000

The Mediterranean Development Initiative (MDI) is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the NYU Urban Lab. This collaboration marks a major step toward transforming Tunisia into a regional hub for healthcare innovation and medical tourism, combining regional insight with global expertise.

At the heart of this initiative is a shared vision: to develop forward-thinking business strategies that support Tunisia’s economic transformation and unlock its full potential.

“Over the next twelve months, we plan to recruit Tunisian experts from MDI to join NYU Urban Lab student researchers and faculty to jointly explore how Tunisia can scale its healthcare ecosystem,” said Professor Matthew Kwatinetz, Director of NYU Urban Lab. “By leveraging NYU’s experience in large-scale urban systems and economic development, from New York to Africa, we aim to co-create pathways for investment, innovation, and inclusive growth in Tunisia’s healthcare sector.”

This strategic collaboration will focus on:
• Designing actionable frameworks for sustainable investment in the healthcare sector,
• Promoting entrepreneurship and modernization in medical services,
• Positioning Tunisia as a gateway for regional healthcare solutions.

“This agreement marks a critical milestone in our mission to reimagine Tunisia’s role in the Mediterranean,” said Ghazi Ben Ahmed, Founder and Executive Director of MDI. “By aligning rigorous research with pragmatic investment strategies, we are building the foundation for a dynamic, open, and resilient Tunisia.”

A Stepping Stone for United States -Tunisia Cooperation :

This initiative also lays the groundwork for expanding U.S. investment in Tunisia, deepening connections with American academic, philanthropic, and financial institutions. By embedding global standards of innovation, transparency, and opportunity creation, MDI aims to foster lasting partnerships that support Tunisia’s long-term development.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MDI and NYU Urban Lab will pave the way for:
• Joint research programs,
• Inclusive policy dialogues,
• Student and expert exchanges that empower a new generation of Tunisian leaders and entrepreneurs.

An Open Call for Support :

Mediterranean Development Initiative and NYU Urban Lab invite foundations, development agencies, financial institutions, and philanthropic partners to join this ambitious effort. Funding and collaboration opportunities are available for those committed to advancing:
• Sustainable development,
• Healthcare innovation,
• Inclusive economic growth in Tunisia and across the Mediterranean region.

Let’s work together to make Tunisia a model for regional healthcare transformation and a beacon of economic resilience.

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“Echoes from Tunisia: Populism, Transition, and Hopes for Democracy” – Ghazi Ben Ahmed Releases His New Book on Tunisia

Ghazi Ben Ahmed — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 22:21:08 +0000

Echoes from Tunisia, Populism, Transition, and Hopes for Democracy (Ed. L’Harmattan, release date: 23 september 2024). I firmly believe that the (controversial) presidential elections in Tunisia provide an opportunity to assess the state of the country and the record of President Kaïs Saïed, who holds all powers. What are his achievements? What is the added value of this hyper-presidency? With what results is candidate Kaïs Saïed presenting himself to the people?

My book is an opportunity to open this debate, but beyond that, it is much more than just a political essay. It is a committed, rigorous, and nuanced work that offers a deep and objective analysis of Tunisia’s internal dynamics while connecting them to global transformations. It is essential not only for Tunisians seeking to understand the challenges their country faces but also for Europeans wanting to grasp the complex interactions between migration, populism, and international relations.

In summary, this book is an indispensable tool for anyone wishing to understand the crucial issues of today’s world, whether in politics, economics, or geopolitics. Tunisia, at the crossroads between its past, its tumultuous present, and its future aspirations, is revealed in all its complexity through these pages. It is a must-read for anyone who seeks to better understand our times and the challenges that lie ahead.

L’Harmattan also provides us with a summary of the contents of the book by Ghazi Ben Ahmed, founder of Mediterranean Development Initiative, on the back cover: “This book offers a hard-hitting analysis of the political and socio-economic crisis in Tunisia, exploring its genesis and its repercussions on Europe. As populist President Kais Saied consolidates his authoritarian rule, the situation extends far beyond Tunisia’s borders, leading to increased migration to Europe and fuelling populist and far-right rhetoric.

The book also highlights the decisive role of European policies, particularly Italian, in consolidating this authoritarian regime, a particularly crucial issue with the arrival of a new European executive. It also highlights the European Union’s lack of a long-term vision for Tunisia, and the recycling of its existing policies, which often limit the potential of relations between the two shores. By revealing these interconnections, this book invites reflection on the future of Euro-Mediterranean relations and the impact of these policy choices on the stability of Europe and its southern neighbourhood. It hopes to inspire greater understanding and cooperation between Tunisia and the European Union, for the mutual benefit of all concerned.”

The book by our founder Ghazi Ben Ahmed is available for pre-order on the Harmattan website in French ONLY. It will be published on 23 September. The price is 27 euros (+ postage).

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What if European aid went to the Tunisian private sector?

Ahmed Lagha — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 20:16:50 +0000

Will there be a new twist in the interminable soap opera surrounding European financial aid to Tunisia? Negotiated over the summer, split into several instalments and subject to conditions, the €60 million package (out of a planned total of €127 million) was finally rejected in early October by President Kaïs Saïed, who said he would not accept what he saw as “charity or a favour”.

On 25 October, further discussions were held on the subject at the initiative of Salima Yenbou MEP, member of the Renew group’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET), and Ghazi Ben Ahmed, founder and chairman of the Tunis-based think-tank Mediterranean Development Initiative (MDI).

During a round table entitled “Rethinking support for the entrepreneurial ecosystem and cooperation between the European Union and the southern neighbourhood”, a new reorientation of funds was envisaged, in particular towards the Tunisian private sector, which has shown remarkable resilience throughout the years of crisis.

On the European side, it was understood that the Tunisian partner should not be pushed into accepting ready-made solutions that did not take account of local specificities. The memorandum of understanding on a strategic and comprehensive partnership hastily negotiated in July 2023 fell short on this point, and the result was not long in coming: the payment of aid has stalled, misunderstandings are multiplying and what was supposed to be a measure strengthening the ties between Brussels and Tunis has instead weakened the relationship.

Approach to be reviewed

The idea discussed in Brussels was to use part of the European funds to support Tunisian companies in a difficult context: a small local market, falling purchasing power, legislative and administrative obstacles blocking opportunities for development and internationalisation, and public policies with no real prospects. This is not a new observation, but one that requires urgent adaptation. As Salima Yenbou explains, “the ‘helping hand’ model is a thing of the past. It’s time for a win-win situation, and the EU must be the driving force and leader in this transformation”.

For the participants in the round table discussion on 25 October, a way out of the crisis is possible by focusing on the internationalisation of Tunisian companies and on innovative entrepreneurship, in the spirit of a dynamic of circular mobility that enhances the value of both sides of the Mediterranean. “Helping innovative Tunisian cross-border companies will not exacerbate competition for European companies, but will add efficiency and competitiveness to European industry as a whole by creating synergies and new opportunities for both sides”, Ghazi Ben Ahmed assures to reassure the sceptics, chilled by the conclusion of a much-criticised agreement that essentially consisted in turning the country into a policeman for irregular migration. Since then, this overly expeditious approach has taken on water on all sides, despite the stubbornness of the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni.

Emergency

Several avenues of partnership have been envisaged: the creation of support funds, visa facilitation with residence permits for technological nomads, easier access to information and funding to support the development of technology and innovative entrepreneurship. Not to mention contributions to “incubators” and other “accelerators” eligible for financial support from the European Commission.

All these projects must now go beyond the debate stage, become concrete, go through the procedures, reach agreements and put in place the tools to make them feasible. The problem is that all this will take time, and there is an urgent need for action. Given this urgency, the idea that is emerging is to immediately reallocate the 60 million euros refused by Tunisia to a technological co-development fund. The money thus mobilised would serve as a lever for the financing and development of innovative Tunisian technology companies. The idea sounds promising. It still needs to be validated and implemented at political level.

Translated from French from an article written by the African media outlet Le Jeune Afrique.

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