Elmed interconnector aims to bring solar power from the Sahara to Europe

Italy and Tunisia have taken the first step to making this dream come true, as they signed an intergovernmental agreement for the development and joint construction of a 600-megawatt (MW) electricity link, DW reported in an article published on its website. On April 30, the governments of Italy and Tunisia signed a deal to lay an underwater power cable between Partanna, Sicily and El Haouaria, Tunisia, aiming to integrate the EU’s electricity grid with that of North Africa. A long time in the works, Italian transmission company Terna and Tunisian…

Annual Jewish pilgrimage in Tunisia’s Djerba enhances tolerance and co-existence

Hundreds of pilgrims flocked on Wednesday to the Ghriba synagogue on the Mediterranean island of Djerba where one of the last Jewish communities in the Arab world is still living there and seize the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the oldest synagogue to voice their wish for blessing. Senior officials from Tunisia joined the Ghriba festivities which coincides this year with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for the first time since 1987. On May 22 and 23, 2019, the Ghriba synagogue hosted nearly 7,000 tourists from various European countries, in…

Tunisia first in Africa for protection of children’s rights

The latest report ”The KidsRights Index 2019”, drafted by international children’s rights organization ”KidsRights Foundation”, reveals that Tunisia is 15th in a ranking of countries worldwide for the preservation of the rights of minors. The ranking is based on five criteria: the right to life, health, education, protection and environment in favour of children’s rights. With an overall score of 0,879, Tunisia ranked first among African and Mena countries ahead of developed nations like Norway, Canada, Japan, Spain and Italy (74th). Among Maghreb countries, Algeria ranked 64th, followed by Libya…

Code of Conduct needed to restore citizen’s confidence in politicians

I was shocked as many Tunisians when I heard the death threat voiced by MP Fayçal Tebini targeting Prime Minister Youssef Chahed if the latter takes the decision to sign the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). Such threat lacks wisdom and responsibility and heightens worries within the political landscape in the deep crisis in which our country is going through. It is an unacceptable statement that shows us an example of the politically bankrupt’s level which arouses public anger and critic. In addition, what the deputy stated, certainly…

EU’s share in Tunisia’s foreign trade down to 62 % in 2018 from 75% in 2005 (OTE)

“The European Union’s share in Tunisia’s foreign trade volume has declined from 75% in the period from 1995 to 2005 to 62% in 2018,” according to a data analysis by the Tunisian Observatory of the Economy (French: OTE) on Tuesday. The Observatory explains the decline of the EU’s share in Tunisia’s foreign trade by “China’s rise in power, particularly over capital goods that has forced Tunisian companies with European capital to diversify their imported inputs, thereby reducing the share of European imports, which now accounts for 53% of imports into…

France strengthens economic ties with Tunisia

French Ambassador to Tunisia Olivier Poivre d’Arvor said on Monday that the economic relations binding Tunisia and France are a win-win close partnership, not domination or exploitation of wealth, TAP reported. “Tunisia has no lessons to learn from anyone … We must not confuse independence with isolation, or territorial sovereignty and economic patriotism with economic isolation,” said d’Arvor at a press conference on the presentation of the Tunisia-France economic partnership revival programme. 34 % of the non-energy foreign direct investments in Tunisia in 2018 were made by France, he went…

SSO: 24 million donations needed for North African countries to preserve their oases

The regional conference on the promotion of oases in North Africa and Mauritania held in Tozeur  on May 17 and 18 closed. Partici^pants in the conference have decided to ask for funding, in the form of donation, in the amount of $10 million dollars, from the Green Climate Fund and $14 million from the Adaptation Fund,” said the representative of the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (SSO), Nabil Hmada. He said the finalisation of the funding process will last 15 months and it will benefit six countries concerned by the development…

Tunisia steps up efforts to halt military operation in Tripoli

Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui confirmed that his country has made considerable efforts to stop the military operations in Libya and revert to the political solution, in order to spare Libyans further suffering, the Libya Observer said. Jhinaoui told Russian news agency Sputnik on Saturday that his country liaised with numerous Libyan parties during the past period since the beginning of the attack on Tripoli, emphasizing that Tunisia will continue its endeavours with all international parties to stop the military operations and return to the political track under the supervision of…

Cannes 2019: Actor Mohamed Dhrif wins ACC Critics Awards

Tunisian Mohamed Dhrif, on Saturday, won the Best Actor Award at the Arab Cinema Centre (ACC) Critics Awards held on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival 2019, TAP reports on Sunday. Mohamed Dhrif was rewarded for his role in “Weldi” feature film directed by Mohamed Ben Attia. Tunisia’s Majd Mastoura had won the same award in 2017 for his role in “Hedi”, another film by Mohamed Ben Attia. A list of six winners has been announced among several candidates competing for the ACC Critics Awards, the same source said.…

EU4Youth agreement for young Tunisians penned as Tunisia-EU Association Council held in Brussels

The signing of this agreement between Tunisia and the European Union on the economic, social and political inclusion of young Tunisians which is called “EU4Youth”, is funded to the tune of 60 million euros. Khémaies Jhinaoui who was speaking in Brussels at a meeting with the press, where he co-chaired with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, the 15th meeting of the Tunisia-EU Association Council held Friday in Brussels, TAP reports. This is an important agreement within the framework of the “Tunisia-EU Youth Partnership”…