Day: April 19, 2023

Japanese ambassador to Tunisia, Takashi Osuga, paid a visit today, Wednesday, to the headquarters of the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) news Agency where he was informed of the work progress within the desks and editorial departments. During this visit, the Japanese ambassador had the opportunity to meet with TAP CEO Najeh Missaoui and many of its executives. The meeting was an opportunity to review the various aspects of possible cooperation between the agency and the Japanese side. In this context, it was agreed to strengthen the technical and technological cooperation between TAP and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in addition to examining the possibility of concluding a partnership agreement between TAP and its Japanese counterpart. On this occasion, the Japanese ambassador expressed his appreciation to TAP as a public media institution for its objective coverage of national and international events, expressing his admiration for its history and legacy in the media scene in Tunisia. The Japanese ambassador also took the opportunity to highlight Tunisian-Japanese relations, considering them to be “historical and diversified”, especially in the economic field. In this regard, he reviewed the common bilateral events, citing as an example the success of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development “TICAD 8”, hosted by Tunisia on August 27 and 28, 2022.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP)

Interior Minister Kamel Feki met on Wednesday at the ministry’s headquarters with French Ambassador to Tunisia André Parant. The meeting focused on cooperation between the two parties in areas of common interest falling within the competence of the Interior Ministry, such as the fight against terrorism and organised crime and the exchange of information, said a statement from the Interior Ministry. Emphasis was also placed on enhancing relations between the two sides to the highest level, in such a way as to embody the aspirations of the two friendly peoples.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP)

The Tunisian Justice will not yield to pressure,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad stressed on Wednesday in the light of comments and statements recently published by some of Tunisia’s “partners. Tunisia – which fully respects the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries – reminds those (countries) who were not “concerned” by the results of these “irresponsible” and “dangerous” statements that “the laws of the Tunisian Republic apply to all litigants equally and without any discrimination,” the Foreign Affairs Department added in a statement. “Justice is applied fairly and with wisdom. The wave of “unacceptable” comments and statements will have no impact on the progress of the trials,” the Foreign Affairs Department assured. For the ministry, such statements could have a negative impact on the intensive efforts made by the state to resolve the economic and financial crisis, “caused by bad governance and amateurism that have characterized the last decade. Furthermore, the ministry considered it “essential” to revive the national economy, calling for taking advantage of the extremely important economic opportunities that the country has to offer. Tunisia’s partner countries have issued statements and positions against the backdrop of the arrest of the leaders of Ennahdha movement, including its leader, Rached Ghannouchi. Earlier in the day, the investigating judge at the Tunis Court of First Instance began interrogating Rached Ghannouchi and those arrested with him, according to lawyer Monia Bouali, a member of the Defence Collective. According to the lawyer, reached by telephone by TAP, an investigation has been opened against suspects including Rached Ghannouchi for charges of “plotting against state security” on the basis of Articles 68 and 72 of the Penal Code. Ennahdha president, Rached Ghannouchi, was arrested following a detention warrant issued against him by the public prosecutor’s office at the judicial counter-terrorism division, an official of the Interior Ministry told TAP. He will remain at the disposal of the investigation in a case of ” inflammatory statements “. The security unit, which arrested Rached Ghannouchi, searched his home and seized everything that could be used in the investigation. In a statement issued last Monday evening, Ennahdha movement called for the immediate release of its president Rached Ghannouchi who was arrested and taken “to an unknown location”. The party denounced a serious escalation and called for the cessation of all proceedings against political opponents.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP)

The National Peace Council has met executives of the various political parties to remind them of the potential dangers they could pose to citizens if they were not responsible in their speeches.

The meeting also sought to evaluate events and utterances in the political space since January 2023 that were creating unnecessary tension, which could lead to possible violence.

Rev Dr Ernest Adu Gyamfi, Chairman, National Peace Council (NPC), told the leaders that they could make statements strongly and forcefully without acrimony or disrespect for another opinion.

Rev. Dr Adu Gyamfi also appealed to the leaders of the various political parties to approach the dialogue with patriotism and feel free to discuss issues dispassionately and objectively.

“This will assure our citizens that we mean well in our desire to govern this country.”He said the NPC, in accordance with Act 818 section 3 (e) obliged the Council to “promote understanding of values of diversity, trust, tolerance, confidence building, negotiation, mediation, dialogues and reconciliations.”

The Council also took the opportunity to give a presentation on the NPC’s Guidelines on Intemperate Language.

The NPC Chairman appealed to the leaders to use the Guide on Hate Speech as reference documents to check abusive, divisive, and other forms of expressions with the potential to threaten the peace of the country.

Numo Blafo Akotia, a member of the NPC, said the in Ghana the phenomenon of hate speech and indecent forms of expression had suddenly grown, and the proliferation of such behaviour was more noticeable during election years.

“These potentially explosives political statements from different sides of the political divide were obvious in the runup to the 2008, 2012, 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana.”

“The media also give platforms to hate speeches, fuel and fan such behaviours. Hate speech intimidates people, stifles confidence, and same weakens democracy.”

Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, a member of the NPC, said the ordinary citizens were those who would be affected if violence broke out in Ghana, and urged political party leaders to be guided by their ethics and conscience.

Present at the meeting were representatives of the National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party, Peoples National Convention, Convention Peoples Party, and the Great Consolidated Popular Party.

Source: Ghana News Agency

At least three national citizens aged between 45 and 55 years old, who were involved in scams, while pretending to be employees of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), were arrested Tuesday, the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) in north-east Malanje province has said.

According to Augusto Barros André, Head of the SIC Press Office in Malanje, the individuals were extorting 30 000 kwanzas per person, with false promises of aiding them join the Angolan Armed Forces.

The SIC officer explained that a shotgun and badges of the Angolan Armed Forces were seized from the perpetrators during the arrest.

The chief of the Criminal Investigation Service informed of the arrest of a 45-year-old Angolan citizen accused of drug trafficking (marihuana), in the commune of Quizenga, municipality of Cacuso.

Augusto André explained that the detention was the result of a micro-operation carried out by the SIC at the road checkpoint in that locality, where the 45-year old man was caught in possession of 100 kgs drugs in a bag of cassava that he was carrying in a vehicle.

According to the spokesman, the accused said that the drugs had been acquired in the municipality of Cunda-dia-base and to be sold in Luanda province.

Source: Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)