Tunisian diaspora in Germany invited to WIDU business session today

Tunisians living in Germany and across Europe are being invited to an online information session today on how to support small businesses in Tunisia through the WIDU Africa programme.

The session will take place on Monday, 8 June 2026, from 5pm to 7pm Tunisia time, or 6pm to 8pm in Germany.

It will be held online in French and Arabic. Participation is open and no prior registration is required, according to WIDU Africa. The meeting access link is available on the official WIDU event page.

The event is organised by WIDU Africa in collaboration with the Tunisian embassy in Germany. It is aimed at members of the Tunisian diaspora who want to support relatives, friends or trusted partners developing small business projects in Tunisia.

The programme includes an opening address by Wacef Chiha, Tunisia’s ambassador in Berlin, a presentation of the WIDU Africa programme, an explanation of participation requirements and registration steps, a testimonial from a diaspora entrepreneur pair and a question and answer session.

WIDU Africa supports micro and small enterprises by linking entrepreneurs in African partner countries with members of the diaspora living in Europe. When a diaspora supporter invests in a business project, WIDU can provide additional grant funding and professional coaching.

The programme is implemented by GIZ on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is also co funded by the European Union and the Gates Foundation, according to WIDU Africa.

Tunisia has been part of the WIDU programme since January 2022. WIDU Africa says it has supported 740 projects in Tunisia, helped create or maintain 2,180 jobs in the country and disbursed €2m in grants.

It says 61% of supported jobs in Tunisia are held by women.

The scheme is open to entrepreneurs in Tunisia who are supported by a diaspora member living in one of the participating European countries. WIDU says applications are open across sectors, including agriculture, industry, crafts and new technologies.

The grant mechanism is designed to make diaspora support more structured. Under WIDU’s upgraded grant model, first time applicants can receive up to €3,000 in grant funding. Entrepreneurs who apply for later rounds can receive up to €5,000.

The investment plan is split between the entrepreneur, the diaspora supporter and the WIDU grant. WIDU says entrepreneurs also receive business coaching to help them structure and develop their projects.

For Tunisia, the programme sits at the intersection of diaspora engagement, small business financing and local development.

Many Tunisian entrepreneurs face difficulty accessing affordable finance, especially outside the capital and in small scale sectors. WIDU’s model is designed to channel part of the support already sent by Tunisians abroad into business projects that can generate income and jobs.

The session comes as Tunisia looks for more ways to mobilise its diaspora beyond remittances, including through entrepreneurship, local investment and private sector support.

Further information and the meeting access link are available on the WIDU Africa event page.