Ambassador Karima Bardaoui’s Diplomatic Career
Her Excellency Ambassador Karima Bardaoui is a career Tunisian diplomat serving as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tunisia to the Republic of South Africa.
Her accreditation also covers Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho and the Kingdom of Eswatini, giving her a broad diplomatic portfolio across Southern Africa.
Ambassador Bardaoui joined Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997 and has built a career spanning bilateral diplomacy, multilateral affairs, political engagement and strategic diplomacy.
Previous Diplomatic Assignments
Before taking up her current responsibilities in Southern Africa, Ambassador Bardaoui held several senior positions within Tunisia’s diplomatic service.
Her previous assignments include serving as:
- Ambassador of Tunisia to the Czech Republic from 2017 to 2019
- Member of Tunisia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2014 to 2017, where she was responsible for the Third Committee dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs
- Counsellor for Political Affairs, Communications and Press at the Tunisian Embassy in Paris from 2006 to 2011
- Director for the Americas at the Americas–Asia Directorate General of Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2023
These assignments have given her extensive experience across bilateral relations, United Nations diplomacy, political affairs, strategic communications and international cooperation.
Tunisia–South Africa Relations
In her current role in Southern Africa, Ambassador Bardaoui has pursued a diplomatic agenda that combines economic diplomacy, cultural outreach, science and innovation diplomacy and political engagement.
One of the notable areas of her work has been the coordination of initiatives marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Tunisia and South Africa.
Her broader regional agenda places emphasis on political dialogue, trade and investment, academic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges across the countries under her accreditation.
Championing Science Diplomacy
Science diplomacy is another important dimension of Ambassador Bardaoui’s diplomatic approach.
She supports science diplomacy as a strategic tool for strengthening African cooperation, encouraging innovation-driven development and creating sustainable, knowledge-based partnerships.
Her work includes supporting collaboration between Tunisian and Southern African universities, research institutions and innovation ecosystems, in alignment with the African Union’s Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation, STISA-2034.
Ambassador Bardaoui’s vision places science and innovation at the centre of efforts to connect North Africa with Sub-Saharan Africa and the wider Mediterranean scientific community.
Her diplomatic priorities include areas such as:
- Climate resilience
- Food security
- Health technologies
- Digital transformation
- Women in STEM and leadership
- Research and innovation
- Youth empowerment
Education and Diplomatic Training
Ambassador Bardaoui holds a Master’s degree in Law and has undertaken advanced diplomatic and economic training in Europe.
Her training includes programmes in Madrid and at the École nationale d’administration (ENA) in Paris and Strasbourg.
She has also completed specialised training in international relations, public diplomacy, media engagement and crisis management through institutions including the Clingendael Institute in the Netherlands, Deutsche Welle Akademie in Germany and TÜBİTAK in Türkiye.
During her diplomatic posting in New York, she additionally participated in UNITAR workshops focused on the drafting, negotiation and adoption of United Nations resolutions.
A Forward-Looking Diplomatic Vision
Ambassador Bardaoui is recognised for her focus on intercultural dialogue, regional integration and multilateral engagement.
Her diplomatic approach centres on advancing Tunisia’s strategic interests while promoting an inclusive and forward-looking vision for Africa.
A key part of this vision is the development of an innovative, resilient and interconnected Africa, supported by scientific excellence, shared prosperity and stronger South-South and triangular cooperation.
Strengthening Tunisia’s Engagement in Southern Africa
With her extensive diplomatic experience and regional responsibilities, Ambassador Karima Bardaoui represents an important link between Tunisia and Southern Africa.
Her portfolio brings together traditional diplomatic priorities such as political dialogue and bilateral relations with emerging areas including science diplomacy, innovation, academic cooperation, technology and economic engagement.
As Tunisia continues to deepen its engagement with African partners, her role highlights the growing importance of diplomatic cooperation that goes beyond political relations to include trade, investment, education, research, technology and people-to-people connections.
Ambassador Karima Bardaoui’s diplomatic career reflects Tunisia’s continued commitment to strengthening its partnerships across Africa and building bridges between North Africa, Southern Africa and the wider international community.
