As part of the implementation of its action plan and in collaboration with the Council of Europe, the Arab ICT Organization (AICTO) organized the Regional Conference of Data Protection Authorities from Southern Partner Countries from 15 to 17 April 2025, in Tunis, Republic of Tunisia.
This initiative comes in response to the accelerating digital transformation, where the protection of personal data has become a global priority and a key challenge for human rights, democracy, and economic development. The conference marks a significant step toward enhancing regional cooperation across the Euro-Mediterranean area and establishing a solid foundation for future institutional synergy in the field of personal data protection.
This first-of-its-kind collaboration between AICTO and the Council of Europe brought together thirty participants over two days, including representatives of national data protection authorities, international experts, digital sector stakeholders, and representatives from both public and private institutions in the region.
Discussions during the conference addressed the current legal landscape, identified common challenges, and explored avenues for harmonizing national legislative frameworks in line with the Council of Europe’s international standards — particularly Convention 108 for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, and its modernized version, Convention 108+. Tunisia was the first country in the MENA region to accede to Convention 108 in 2017, followed by Morocco in 2019.
The event also featured practical case studies, in-depth discussions on the roles of supervisory authorities and data protection officers, and presentations on capacity-building tools provided by the Council of Europe — including the Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) and Human Rights Education for Youth (HEY) programs.
In his opening remarks, His Excellency Eng. Mohamed Ben Amor, Director General of AICTO, emphasized the importance of promoting digital governance and protecting privacy and personal data in the face of rapid digital change. He highlighted that we are living in the “age of data,” where data has become a strategic resource driving innovation, decision-making, policy development, and service delivery. However, he also pointed out the major challenges this era poses particularly in terms of privacy, security, and governance.
He further stressed that privacy is no longer merely a legal or technical issue, but a fundamental pillar for building trust in digital societies. He called for the adoption of comprehensive policies that safeguard digital rights and enhance digital sovereignty for nations.
He also underlined the significance of the conference as a platform for exchanging expertise and strengthening cooperation between Arab and European countries, within the framework of a strategic partnership with the Council of Europe aimed at fostering secure and reliable digital environments. He presented the findings of a recent technical study conducted by AICTO on the state of personal data protection across Arab countries, which revealed notable progress in several states, as well as shared challenges that require further coordination, capacity building, and legal reform.
For his part, Mr. Christian Bartholin, Head of the Data Protection Unit at the Council of Europe, emphasized the importance of establishing strong legal frameworks to protect fundamental rights. He emphasized that Convention 108+ is a global tool that guarantees human dignity and privacy in the digital age, and he called for stronger cooperation between data protection authorities to address cross-border challenges, enhance legal alignment, and build a sustainable regional dynamic in this critical domain.