Arab Unity in Crisis: Tunisia’s Boycott Exposes Deep Rifts in Regional Solidarity

The absence of Tunisia’s President Kais Saied from the Doha summit signals a fracturing of the Arab world’s already fragile consensus on collective action.

A Summit Without Substance

The Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, intended to showcase regional unity and coordination, has instead become a lightning rod for criticism about the effectiveness of pan-Arab institutions. Tunisia’s leading newspaper Al-Chourouk’s scathing assessment—calling it “a summit with no real value”—reflects growing skepticism about these gatherings’ ability to produce meaningful outcomes. This criticism gains particular weight given Tunisia’s historical role as a founding member of the Arab League and its reputation as a voice for pragmatic diplomacy in the region.

Qatar-Tunisia Tensions Resurface

President Saied’s boycott represents more than diplomatic pique; it underscores longstanding tensions between Doha and Tunis that have simmered since the Arab Spring. His cited concerns about Qatar’s “involvement in Tunisian affairs” likely reference allegations of Qatari support for Islamist movements in Tunisia, particularly during the post-2011 transition period. This dispute mirrors broader regional divisions that have plagued Arab cooperation efforts, from the 2017-2021 Qatar blockade to ongoing disagreements about political Islam’s role in governance.

The skepticism expressed by regional experts about implementing Arab military defense agreements further highlights the gap between rhetorical solidarity and practical cooperation. Despite decades of mutual defense pacts and security frameworks, Arab states have struggled to coordinate responses to regional crises, from Syria to Yemen to Libya. The failure to activate these mechanisms has rendered them largely symbolic, reinforcing the perception that Arab summits produce declarations rather than decisions.

Implications for Regional Stability

Tunisia’s public rebuke of the Doha summit carries implications beyond bilateral tensions. As one of the few Arab Spring countries to maintain a semblance of democratic transition, Tunisia’s voice carries moral weight in regional forums. Its withdrawal from collective Arab initiatives could embolden other states to prioritize bilateral relationships over multilateral frameworks, further fragmenting an already divided region.

The timing is particularly significant as Middle Eastern states face mounting challenges requiring coordinated responses: economic pressures from global inflation, climate change impacts, and the need to diversify away from hydrocarbon dependence. If Arab states cannot find common ground on security issues, prospects for cooperation on these emerging challenges appear even dimmer.

As Arab summits increasingly resemble theaters of diplomatic absence rather than presence, one must ask: has the dream of Arab unity become an anachronism in an age of narrow national interests, or can these nations find new frameworks for cooperation that reflect contemporary realities rather than decades-old aspirations?