Day: April 17, 2024

SILIANA: Firefighters and forest rangers on Wednesday afternoon brought under control the fire that broke out earlier in Djebel Bargou, locality of Aïn Bou SaSdia, Siliana governorate.

The causes of the fire, which destroyed around 1.5 hectares of Aleppo pine and resinous trees, are still unknown, a civil protection source told TAP.

Fire engines and vehicles from the regional civil protection directorate and the regional section of the forestry directorate were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tataouine: The Tataouine Youth Vision Association on Wednesday launched the “Yes Tataouine” project, part of the SWAFY programme financed by the European Union through the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research and in partnership with several regional administrations (the Delegation for Education, the Delegation for Youth and Sport, the Higher Institute of Technological Studies and the region’s civil society components).

The aim of the project is to motivate young people and children in Tataouine to be more innovative and creative in various fields of economic development, to promote entrepreneurship and employment, and to strengthen the scientific capacities and skills of the region, said Director General of the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research, Chadli Abdelli.

He added that the project involves different stages of youth, from primary school students to university graduates.

“Tunisia is rich in scientific expertise, ranking tenth out of 132 countries in the world
in terms of scientific production in 2023, but this has not benefited the national economic and social environment, so the agency aims to bring scientific research closer to this vast and rich environment in our country,” Abdelli said.

According to Rajeh Khemiri, the European Commission’s project manager in Tunisia, the European Union has allocated pound 9.5 million to this project, which covers all the country’s governorates and was launched Wednesday, in Tataouine.

It is also preparing to launch another environmental project worth around pound 11 million, he added, stressing the importance of this project, which deals with robotics and artificial intelligence.

Mabrouka Atri, head of the “Yes Tataouine” project, said the project aims to involve 96 students in the eight communes of the governorate, 48 young people from the four youth hostels, 20 students active in the robotics club at the Higher Institute of Technological Studies and 200 visitors to the City of Science. It will also enable 400 students to
discover the technological life of the university and involve 300 participants in scientific youth workshops, in addition to 100 children who will take part in the robotics competitions that the project will organise every year.

The participants of this information day recommended that more attention be paid to the disadvantaged rural areas and to the realisation of their children’s dreams in this field, investing in intelligence and training as many components as possible to ensure the continuity of this promising scientific option.

Since last November, the Regional Delegation for Education has set up around 50 robotics clubs in primary and secondary schools and institutes, funded by two oil companies operating in the region’s desert.

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Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Health Minister, Ali Mrabet, underlined during his meeting with Director General of the Egyptian National Medicines Agency, Ali Ghamraoui, the need to strengthen joint action for the creation of laboratories of manufacturing raw materials so as to meet the needs of both countries for serums and vaccines.

According to a statement published by the Health Ministry, Mrabet also called for strengthening coordination between the two countries to accelerate the creation of the Arab Medicines Agency.

The meeting, which is held on the sidelines of the preliminary meeting for the establishment of the African Initiative for the Harmonization of Medicines Regulation in North Africa, also focused on boosting cooperation between the two countries in the field of medicines and pharmaceutical industries, the same source said.

Ali Mrabet also underlined the importance of strengthening the bilateral partnership in the health sector, particularly in the areas of scientific research, pharmaceutical industries and the e
xchange of experiences.

The preliminary meeting for the establishment of the African Initiative for the Harmonization of Medicines Regulation in North Africa started on Tuesday in Tunis and will continue until April 18.

Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Egypt and Mauritania are participating in this event with the aim of discussing ways to develop the pharmaceutical sector and improve the quality of health products, increase control as well as foster the exchange of expertise between countries in the field of medicines.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: A number of NGOs gathered on Wednesday in front of the Italian Embassy in Tunis to denounce what they consider to be “an attempt by Italy and the European Union to exert pressure on Tunisia” in order to police the European borders.

The protest was prompted by the fact that a number of civil society organisations, including the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) and the organisation “La Terre pour tous” as well as a number of civil society activists, are against the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to Tunisia on Wednesday.

FTDES spokesman Romdhane Ben Amor told TAP that “Meloni’s visit coincides with an improvement in weather conditions, which will be followed by an increase in irregular migration attempts, in order to exert pressure on Tunisia to police the European borders.”

He pointed out that the Italian Prime Minister “is endeavouring to limit the flow of migrants and control the number of immigrants on the Italian territory, notably those of non-Tunisian nationa
lity, by encouraging Tunisia to transfer them to better monitored detention centres before their expulsion. ”

“There are many indications that Tunisia is playing a major role in the issue of policing Europe’s borders by proxy, such as preventing about 80,000 migrants from reaching Italian shores last year and 21,000 since the beginning of this year,” the official underlined.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Minister of the Family, Children and the Elderly, Amal Belhaj Moussa, announced on Wednesday the launch of a communication campaign to protect children from the potential risks of the Internet, which will be implemented by the National Centre for Children’s Information Technology (CNIPE).

The campaign includes the publication of a guide to protecting children from the potential dangers of the Internet, the creation of a digital story and the production of multimedia material consisting of 24 brochures and audio-visual spots aimed at children and parents and providing advice on how to surf the Internet safely.

At a press conference, the Minister pointed out that the launch of this campaign coincided with the case of child luring, in which an adult was allegedly involved in luring minors onto the Internet in order to trap and threaten them.

Three victims had been identified and were receiving psychological care, she noted.

The minister said the number of reports of sexual assaults on children receive
d by the Child Protection Offices during 2023 reached 55 (45 girls and 10 boys), in addition to 19 reports during the first quarter of 2024 (15 girls and 4 boys).

Belhaj Moussa pointed out that the toll-free number 1809 has been made available to citizens 24 hours a day to report any cases of harassment of children, in order to ensure adequate psychological support for the victims.

She said that more than 550 calls had been received in the last 48 hours, including 4 related to cyber violence against children

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The Tunisian Vocational Training Agency is taking part in the 15th edition of “Tunis Fashion Week”, to be held from April 19 to 20, 2024 in Douz (Kebili governorate).

This event is an opportunity for professionals and fashion enthusiasts to present and showcase the latest creations and innovations in the world of fashion and clothing.

It also allows participants to gain experience and learn about the latest fashion trends and designs, as well as to communicate with professionals in the sector, helping to develop their skills and build a network of professional relationships.

Seven centres affiliated to the Tunisian Agency for Vocational Training are taking part in this fifteenth edition of Fashion Week, providing training in the clothing sector, according to a press release issued by the Agency on Wednesday.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The closing meeting of the school modernisation programme (2017/2026), funded by the Tunisian government, the European Investment Bank, the German Development Bank and the European Union, was held Wednesday in Hammamet.

Speaking at the launch of the second phase of the programme, Minister of Education, Saloua Abbassi, pointed out that “educational reform is closely linked to the rehabilitation and development of school infrastructure”.

She welcomed the great success of the programme, which has reached 395 schools, more than the 310 planned.

Director General of the Programme Management Unit, Karim Daoud, said in a statement to TAP news agency that this programme will run from 2017 to 2026 and has a total budget of 220.5 million (20% in the form of donations, 60% in the form of loans and 20% paid by the Tunisian state).

It has enabled the creation of 47 high and middle schools and the renovation and maintenance of 389 other establishments, in addition to the acquisition of a range of educational and
teaching equipment, the equipping of school canteens and the purchase of vehicles, which have been distributed to the regional education delegations.

He pointed out that the closing session of the School Modernisation Programme coincided today with the announcement of the launch of the second phase of this programme (2024/2029), which will focus on the construction of 80 primary schools in various regions of the Republic.

It will also involve the acquisition of 75 school buses, particularly in rural areas, to solve the problem of transporting pupils, he added, stressing that the funds allocated to the second phase of the programme are estimated at pound 80 million, or 31% of the total, in the form of donations.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse