Within the framework of Arab–Chinese cooperation to enhance partnerships and exchange expertise, the Arab ICT Organization (AICTO) and the Chinese authority responsible for the BeiDou satellite navigation system co-organized the 5th Arab–Chinese Forum on Satellite Navigation (BeiDou) on 24–25 September 2025 in Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, under the auspices of the League of Arab States and the Arab–Chinese Forum.
The forum gathered senior officials and experts from both sides to explore cooperation opportunities and share best practices in smart transport, agriculture, surveying, mapping, and smart city solutions. It also featured the signing of joint projects and the launch of new initiatives to strengthen capacity building in the Arab region.
AICTO’s Director of Strategic Planning, Mr. Sami Tarmich, presented the achievements and challenges of Arab–Chinese cooperation in satellite navigation, while Prof. Kamel Besbas, Director of the Microelectronics and Nanotechnology Research Center at Sousse Technology Park, highlighted future prospects in positioning technologies (GNSS) and the BeiDou system (BDS).
The Embassy of Tunisia in Beijing was represented by H.E. Ms. Rim Al-Ayadi, Minister Plenipotentiary, who participated in the opening day of the forum.
China’s contribution to training nearly 1,000 Arab experts in BeiDou applications was highlighted as a major milestone. The forum concluded with a joint statement reaffirming the importance of policy dialogue, experience-sharing, and joint projects to expand the use of BeiDou in the Arab region.
Held every two years on a rotating basis between China and Arab countries, the forum previously convened in Tunisia in 2019 for its second edition.
