Tag: National

A red palm weevil infestation is decimating trees and posing a threat to the country’s date crop, a mainstay of the fragile economy It’s an unlikely but very real crisis for a country with a teetering economy: a tiny red devil is invading Tunisia and it could cost hundreds of thousands of people their livelihoods. Morched Garbouj, president of a Tunisian environmental group, smiled as he told the popular legend of how the red palm weevil first arrived in Tunisia. “Some people say that it was the former dictator Ben…

UNSMIL chief Martin Kobler has praised Tunisia’s efforts to bring about reconciliation in Libya . In Tunis talks with foreign minister Khemaies Jhinaoui today Kobler said decisive decisions had to be taken to bring about change, adding there needed to be limited revision to the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) for this to happen. It was critical that the Libyan Dialogue between Libya’s factions restarted as soon as possible. Though Italy has been praised for bringing together State Council head Abdulrahman Sewehli and House of Representatives president Ageela Saleh, Tunisia was…

Tunisia plans to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the island of Djerba, site of Africa’s oldest synagogue and an annual Jewish pilgrimage, its culture minister said on Sunday. Speaking on the last day of the pilgrimage to the Ghriba synagogue, Minister of Culture Mohamed Zine El-Abidine said the island was important for its “cultural and religious uniqueness”. He said the application to add Djerba to the World Heritage List would highlight the rich religious heritage of the island, which is home to centuries-old mosques, churches and synagogues. He did…

Tunisia’s economy is regaining momentum this year after six years of slow growth, driven by the revival of the vital tourism industry prime minister Youssef Chahed recently announced. Tunisia has been praised as an example of democratic transition since the overthrow of former President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. But many people are concerned about the cost of living, unemployment and the marginalisation of rural towns – factors that fueled the uprising that sparked the Arab Spring revolts. Tunisia expects economic growth to rise to 2.5 % in 2017…

A protest march against the bill on economic and financial reconciliation was staged Saturday afternoon at Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital as part of the campaign “Manish Msemah” (I will not forgive). Started from the statue of Ibn Khaldoun, the march has toured Avenue Habib Bourguiba amid an important security device. Several participants from the Popular Front, the Democratic Movement, the Republican Party, the Tunisian Human Rights League and the Association of Democratic Women were present at the march. The participants called for the final withdrawal of this draft…

An annual Jewish pilgrimage to Africa’s oldest synagogue on Tunisia’s Djerba island began on Friday under tight security but in a festive mood. An AFP journalist saw dozens of pilgrims from the North African country and from France heading to the revered Ghriba synagogue to pray, light candles and write wishes on eggs. Some celebrated the centuries-old Lag BaOmer festival by sipping glasses of boukha, a liqueur made from figs. “My parents brought me to Djerba when I was a little boy and each year since I have returned,” said…

“We are heavily counting on Tunisian and international civil society, the media, and every single Tunisian to get involved in this war on corruption.” Where does Tunisia’s fight against corruption stand at the moment, and how do you characterize the government’s efforts in that regard? Fighting corruption has become one of the priorities of the current national unity government, and when presenting his platform Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said, “My government is an anti-corruption government, and I am declaring a war on corruption.” This is a positive development we had…

The thirteenth session of the Association Council of the European Union and Tunisia took place in Brussels on 11 May 2017. The session was co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, George VELLA, whose country holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission, and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia, Mr. Khemaies Jhinaoui. Mr. Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood…

Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi on Wednesday ordered the army to protect phosphate, gas and oil production facilities after protests aimed at disrupting output broke out in the south of the country. It is the first time troops in Tunisia will be deployed to protect industrial installations that are key to Tunisia’s economy. Protests, sit-ins and strikes in recent years have cost the state billions of dollars. For several weeks, about 1,000 protesters in Tatouine province, where Italy’s ENI and Austria’s OMV have gas operations, have been demanding jobs and…