Can ‘Star Wars’ revive Tunisia’s tourism?

Tunisia’s National Tourist Office, on Saturday, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the shooting of the first part of “Star Wars” film, in several tourist sites in the governorate of Tozeur and more precisely in the region of Ong el Jmal that still keeps the decor of that film. The festivals and events manager Zied Chargui said the festivities included a parade of costumes of the film’s characters and weapons used. That parade toured the main avenue of the city until the ancient city, passing by the Independence Square. Several tourists…

Tunisia-European Union: 2nd Macro-Financial Assistance agreement inked

The second Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) agreement between Tunisia and the European Union worth €500 million (close to 1,324 million Tunisian dinars (MD) under the form of a medium term loan, was inked on Thursday by Fincance Minister Lamia Boujnah Zribi at the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. This MFA will be disbursed in three installments: The first one (€200 million) at the signing of the agreement, the second (€150 million) in December 2017 and the last one (€150 million) during the first half of 2018, the ministry pointed…

Protesters rally in Habib Bourguiba Avenue against bill on economic reconciliation

(TAP) – A protest was staged on Saturday at Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital against the bill on economic and financial reconciliation. Protesters, who rallied outside the Tunis Municipal Theatre, reaffirmed their categorical opposition to the draft law on reconciliation, saying it violates, in many respects, the Constitution, the Transitional Justice Act and the process of establishing the truth. In a statement distributed during the protest movement called “Manich Msemah” (I will not forgive), the protesters called on the national and democratic forces opposing this bill to coordinate efforts…

Tunisia military to protect southern oil, gas fields – ministry

Tunisia will deploy troops in a southern region to protect oil facilities against attacks from militants in neighbouring Libya, in an area where protesters are threatening to blockade transport routes to demand jobs, it said on Saturday. The ministry of defence said the army “would protect strategic sites and oilfields” around Tataouine province, a desert are known for tourism that borders Libya. It gave no details on any specific threat to any companies or of what reinforcements were planned. Several foreign oil and gas companies are involved in projects around…

Tunisia wants partnership with Brazil on social programs

The Tunisian FM visited the Ministry of Social and Agrarian Development this Friday (28) and expressed an interest in social programs. Government’s staff will travel to Tunisia to further discussions on the issue. The Foreign Minister of Tunisia, Khemaies Jhinaoui, met with the executive secretary of Brazil’s Ministry of Social and Agrarian Development (MDSA), Alberto Beltrame, this Friday in Brasília and expressed an interest in exchanging experiences with Brazil in the social development sector, especially food security, family farming and fight against poverty. The information was made public by the…

Tunisian journalists blame government for drop in free speech index

After the release of Reporters Without Borders’ free speech index for 2017, the Tunisian Journalists’ Syndicate blamed the government for the retreat of free speech in the country, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported yesterday. The report indicated that Tunisia was ranked 96th in the list of world countries on the free speech index, but this year it slipped to 97th – one step backwards. According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Syndicate had warned the Tunisian government throughout the past year that the situation of freedom of speech was retreating in the country. The…

Jewish visitors to gather in Tunisia next month

The village of Hara Sghira in Djerba, an island off the coast of southern Tunisia will welcome Jewish visitors between 11 and 17 May 2017 to celebrate the Lag B’Omer holiday during a week of rituals as the village is home to the Ghriba synagogue which is believed to be the oldest Jewish temple in Africa. Displaying intricate tile walls bearing blue and yellow geometric shapes El Ghriba is the most famous and venerated of the twenty synagogues and prayer houses dotting the three Jewish villages on Djerba. Its surrounding…

Brazilian, Tunisian FMs sign on to agreements

Khemaies Jhinaoui met with Aloysio Nunes Ferreira to enter into deals concerning young people, technology, and economic cooperation. Libraries from both countries also reached a memorandum of understanding. Besides discussing aspects of the Brazil-Tunisia bilateral agenda, the foreign ministers signed on to agreements concerning young people, innovation, and the economy. Three agreements were signed: one is designed to foster economic relations; another one encourages cooperation in science, technology, and innovation-oriented projects; and the third one concerns the sharing of experiences on both sides. The National Library of Tunisia and Brazil’s…

Society should be free from corruption: Ben Moussa

Nobel Peace Prize awardee said the movement in Tunisia started based on dignity and eradication of corruption. Abdessattar Ben Moussa of Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet and Nobel Peace Prize awardee on Thursday said the society should be free from corruption if one wants to achieve the fruits of democracy. Participating in a seminar on ‘Building Pluralistic Democracy,’ organised as part of the Osmania University Centenary celebrations at Tagore Auditorium, he said the movement in Tunisia started based on dignity and eradication of corruption. During dictatorship in Tunisia, the rights of…

Tunisia parliament debates contested amnesty for Ben Ali-era

Tunisia’s parliament on Wednesday debated a bill that would grant amnesty to businessmen accused of corruption during the rule of autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali — a bill already delayed two years by popular opposition. The bill would protect from prosecution those accused of corruption; in exchange, they would be required to return the money they extracted. Government officials see the “economic reconciliation” law as a way to inject funds into an economy still recovering after the 2011 revolt that ousted Ben Ali. But critics are calling for protests…