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City Spotlight: Tunis, Tunisia

Tunis, the capital of and largest city in Tunisia, is the country’s political and economic hub. It hosts the national government and generates a significant share of the national economy, with other major coastal cities, accounting for approximately 85% of Tunisia’s GDP. As of 2025, the metropolitan area of Tunis has an estimated population of approximately 2.5 million. The Municipality’s commitment to prevention of hate, extremism and polarisation, and building social cohesion was underscored in 2015, when it became the first city in Tunisia – and in North Africa – to join the Strong Cities Network.

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What is the local government concerned about?

Since the 2011 Tunisian revolution, the Municipality of Tunis has grappled with heightened security threats and persistent socio-economic challenges. It remains on alert due to concerns around extremism and terrorism, exemplified by the 2015 Bardo Museum attack. At the same time, chronic unemployment and marginalisation – particularly among youth – increase frustration and can leave individuals vulnerable to radicalisation to violence. These challenges are further complicated by high public expectations following the Tunisian revolution, as citizens continue to demand rapid improvements in governance and economic opportunity, placing pressure on local authorities to deliver tangible results.

How is the local government responding?

In response to these challenges, the Municipality of Tunis has proactively implemented initiatives to address the drivers of extremism and instability, particularly youth marginalisation, gender inequality and social division.

Youth & Women Empowerment

To empower young people, the Municipality launched the Fabrique de la Ville, a digital startup incubator that supports young entrepreneurs through mentorship, training and funding. Complementing this, the EU-funded INNOMED-UP project engages young artisans in sustainable practices within the historic quarter of Medina, creating economic opportunities while preserving cultural heritage. Youth civic engagement is further encouraged through intercultural volunteer projects that mobilise local youth to revitalise public spaces and create places where youth and communities can meet.

Women’s empowerment is another priority for the Municipality. For example, in 2018, Tunis made history by electing the first female mayor of an Arab capital, symbolising a progressive stance on gender inclusion in governance. Women subsequently held nearly half of all city council seats, while dedicated committees institutionalised gender equity within municipalities’ planning and policy processes. The Femmedina project, for instance, transformed key spaces in the Medina to empower women both economically and socially, through renovated markets, training centres and inclusive urban planning processes led by women.

Inclusive Governance

Urban resilience and inclusive planning are central to the Municipality’s efforts to reduce socio-economic disparities. The Tunis City Strategy 2050, developed under the EU-supported A’SIMA Tunis project, addresses marginalisation through socio-economic inclusion, infrastructure upgrades, sustainable mobility and environmental initiatives. A’SIMA Tunis engaged 129 local stakeholders from government, civil society and development agencies to co-develop a shared vision for a resilient and inclusive city.

This commitment to inclusive governance extends into everyday interactions through initiatives such as Espaces Citoyens (Citizen Spaces), dedicated service centres where residents can access municipal information, submit requests or engage in decision-making processes. These efforts help deepen trust between citizens and local authorities. The Municipality also leverages national events such as Municipal Open-Door Days to promote civic education, transparency and public participation, underscoring its post-revolution commitment to accountable governance.

Intercultural dialogue and international cooperation

To further strengthen social cohesion and resilience, the Municipality is actively promoting intercultural dialogue and community engagement through a diverse cultural agenda. It sponsors and manages annual events such as Festival de la Médina and Médina des Lumières initiative, which falls under the Tounes Wijhetouna programme. The programme celebrates Tunis’s cultural heritage and strengthens community pride. Likewise, Tunis hosts international events, such as the Interference Light Art Festival and the biennial Dream City Festival, that use contemporary arts to revitalise public spaces, raise environmental awareness and foster social inclusion.

Tunis also plays a leading role in international cooperation. In 2017, it hosted the inaugural meeting of the Arab Cities Coalition Against Racism under UNESCO auspices, adopting the Tunis Declaration to spearhead regional efforts against racism, discrimination and xenophobia. Through sustained engagement with international organisations, including the Arab Towns Organisation, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the International Association of Francophone Mayors, the Municipality continues to exchange good practices and reinforce its commitment to building a secure, inclusive and resilient urban future.

What’s next?

Tunis is well-positioned to build on its significant progress in prevention and resilience. Tunisia’s updated National Strategy for Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism (2023 – 2027) explicitly recognises the vital role of local governments in advancing a whole-of-society, human rights–based approach. This gives the Municipality a clear mandate to scale up local-level prevention efforts. To achieve meaningful and sustained impact, Tunis, alongside other Tunisian municipalities, will require continued support from regional and international partners, as well as local civil society organisations, to lead the strategy’s implementation at the community level.

Such support could take various forms, including capacity-building for municipal staff, technical assistance for community-based initiatives and the exchange of good practices through Strong Cities and other relevant international networks. Crucially, it will also require strengthened coordination between national institutions and local authorities to ensure coherence between national strategies and local actions. By leveraging these partnerships and resources, the Municipality of Tunis can continue to address underlying drivers of vulnerability and strengthen community resilience, social cohesion and inclusive local governance for the long term.

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