Tunisia to host Arab conference on retirement and social insurance

Tunis is set to become the hub for social protection discussions when it hosts the Arab Conference on Retirement and Social Insurance from July 20-22, 2026. This high-level event will convene experts and policymakers to rethink the viability of regional retirement funds, which are struggling with outdated models. The critical situation of Tunisia's own pension funds mirrors this broader regional challenge.

The conference comes at a time of significant financial pressure on public pension funds across the Middle East and North Africa. For eight decades, these pay-as-you-go systems, reliant on solidarity and annual budget balance, have operated under strain. Governments now face the difficult task of ensuring the sustainability of benefits while maintaining pension levels. The conference will explore alternative financing methods and diversification of savings mechanisms beyond traditional state frameworks.

Key strategic themes for the summit include modernizing the governance of retirement funds. Participants will assess ongoing structural reforms in the region and examine the integration of advanced technologies for administrative digital transformation, management optimization, and yield security. Discussions will also cover adopting forward-looking investment strategies to shield financial portfolios from economic crises and implementing rigorous management to balance investments with future commitments. A special focus will be placed on savings and inclusion, through the development of private supplementary pensions and extending social coverage to expatriate and migrant workers.

For Tunisia, the conference's themes are particularly urgent. The National Fund for Retirement and Social Welfare (CNRPS) and the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) are experiencing a chronic financial crisis. This stems from a major structural imbalance: the number of active contributors is shrinking while the number of retirees grows. This situation is exacerbated by a rapid demographic shift towards an aging population. Increased life expectancy combined with declining birth rates mechanically widens the dependency ratio, meaning fewer workers are available to fund a single retiree's pension. Tunisia has already begun implementing traditional measures and exploring new avenues to address this deficit.