The First Figures that Caught My Attention
"The first figures that caught my attention in the Enactus Tunisia study are that two-thirds of the respondents were students, with 58% women and 42% men," Radhi Meddeb stated during the 16th national Enactus Tunisia exhibition dedicated to social entrepreneurship and innovation, held on July 2-3, 2025.
No Magic Recipe, Just Trust in Young People
Meddeb was at the heart of an in-depth panel discussion on the theme "Tunisia by 2035: What Opportunities for Our Young People?" He noted, "I'm not surprised, as every time there's a commitment, women respond more quickly than men. But I was struck by the optimistic attitude of young Tunisian women and men during this study. It reminds me of Antonio Gramsci's words, which I particularly like: 'I combine the optimism of action with the pessimism of reflection.'"
The Necessary Quality of Discernment
Meddeb emphasized the necessary quality of discernment that young people have likely acquired by understanding the situation imposed by the mismatch between their university studies and their job prospects. He dismissed regional weakness theses, saying, "Tunisia is now a village. The success of our young people is no longer dependent on a particular region. I remind you that Karim Beguir is from Tataouine! And the French newspaper 'Le Monde' recently published an article titled 'Tunisians Who Are Making It in Music,' where we see that talents come from all over the country. Moreover, one of them was mentored by Comete. There's no magic recipe: we just need to trust young people. It's the trust I experienced when, as a young engineer, I was given my chance at Phosphate Gafsa."
AI in a Win-Win Partnership
For Meddeb, trust is insufficient, and structural transformations are needed to boost young people: "During the study, young people pointed out the need for major global transformations. First, we need to reform the education system to open it up to the economic world. This is a massive undertaking that requires reforming programs, the educational corps, and infrastructure. Next, we need to transition to renewable energy and launch a genuine digital transformation that takes us from being consumers to being producers. Finally, we need to succeed in our generational transition with the challenges of retirement, health, and more."
The Greatest Employment Opportunities
Meddeb highlighted one of the study's findings, which showed that the greatest employment opportunities are, in order: freelancing, immigration, entrepreneurship, working in the private sector, and finally, in the public sector. He added, "Instead of immigration, which students see as an opportunity, I prefer the concept of mobility. Going to spend a few years in London, then Athens... and returning to create wealth in Tunisia. Immigration is a loss of talent and energy, whereas mobility means a greater opening up of our country."
AI Requires Win-Win Partnerships
Finally, Meddeb noted that AI requires a large number of data centers that consume a lot of energy and that we should think about win-win partnerships where many Tunisians who have already made a name for themselves in AI can shine.
