Tunisia – September 16, 2025

As part of its strategy to promote ethical investigative journalism and strengthen the capacities of journalists and fact-checkers, the ARIJ network, in cooperation with the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, organized a roundtable on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the syndicate’s headquarters in the capital, Tunis. 

The event, titled “From Tunisia to the World: Cross-Border Investigative Journalism with ARIJ”. brought together around 40 journalists, fact-checkers, and representatives of institutions supporting independent media.

The session featured the participation of the head of the SJNT, Zied Dabbar, and ARIJ’s Director General, Rawan Damen. It was moderated by investigative journalist and trainer Hanen Zbiss. The discussion focused on cross-border collaboration and the role of investigative journalism and fact-checking in defending press freedom and consolidating democracy.

The three-hour meeting, following Damen’s presentation on ARIJ’s projects and the process of submitting an investigative proposal to ARIJ, concluded with a set of practical recommendations to advance the investigative journalism environment in Tunisia and the Arab world. ARIJ will work to implement these within its 2025–2030 strategy:

• Expanding training and continuous capacity-building opportunities: through specialized programs covering data journalism and the responsible use of AI tools.
• Strengthening regional and international cooperation: by carrying out joint investigations, both local and cross-border, and by sharing expertise and data.
• Developing networking among investigative journalists and fact-checkers in Tunisia and the region: through regular meetings and interactive forums.
• Defending press freedom: by advocating for laws that guarantee transparency and access to information.
• Promoting the establishment of an AI-specific code of ethics: to ensure the responsible use of modern technologies in journalistic work.

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For its part, the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists affirmed that strengthening its partnership with ARIJ is an important step in developing the investigative journalism environment. The syndicate stressed its aspiration to train and engage the largest possible number of journalists and fact-checkers interested in investigating local and cross-border issues, as well as exploring the uses of AI in journalism.

For its part, the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists affirmed that strengthening its partnership with ARIJ is an important step in developing the investigative journalism environment. The syndicate stressed its aspiration to train and engage the largest possible number of journalists and fact-checkers interested in investigating local and cross-border issues, as well as exploring the uses of AI in journalism.

Fact-checker and editor-in-chief of “TuniFact” platform, Yasmin Dakhli, noted that the session “was marked by the depth of discussion and the exchange of perspectives”, in addition to “the interactive atmosphere that helped clarify many questions Tunisian journalists had regarding collaboration with ARIJ”.

Investigative journalist and radio broadcaster Najoua Hammami emphasized the importance of the discussion in terms of its clarity and transparency in addressing challenges, exploring ways to tackle them, and highlighting ARIJ’s role in that process.

ARIJ’s Director General, Rawan Damen, also met with members of the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN) community during her visit to Tunisia, to discuss the development of the field, current challenges, and ways to address them. The visit further included multiple meetings with partner institutions in Tunisia, including academic institutes and the Press Council, which is considered a pioneering democratic experience in the Arab region.

This visit to Tunisia comes after several ARIJ visits to different Arab countries in 2025 (Morocco, Egypt, and Syria), to discuss expanding avenues of cooperation and development in investigative journalism and fact-checking.