Month: May 2024

Tunis: Tunisia is observing on Wednesday the 76th anniversary of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, held this year under the theme of “Fit for the Future, Building Better Together.”

Tunisia commended the important role played by the UN peacekeepers in protecting the security of conflict zones and their valuable contribution to peacemaking in the world, reads a Foreign Ministry press release.

“Tunisia is among the pioneering countries in UN peacekeeping missions, as its first participation in a UN mission dates back to 1960 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

“Convinced of peace as being a noble human value and a goal of the United Nations, Tunisia pursues its efforts to strengthen its contribution to peacekeeping missions through the deployment of a significant number of military, police and prison experts.

“In fact, the total number of our country’s contribution to UN peacekeeping missions amounts to around 900 military, security and penitentiary officers in six missions, five of whi
ch are in Africa. Tunisia is therefore ranked 20th among countries contributing to peacekeeping missions,” the ministry said.

“Major Ahlem Douzi was presented with the 2024 United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers in a renewed testimony of the great confidence in our national military, security and penitentiary officials within UN peacekeeping missions and a recognition of their valuable contribution to the consolidation of international efforts for the maintenance and promotion of international and regional peace and security,” reads the statement.

Tunisia reiterates commitment to continue its active support for peacekeeping efforts and protection of civilians and encourage the use of preventive diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of conflicts, in order to promote the culture of peace and the foundations of security, stability and development in Africa and in the world.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

BEIJING: “The patriotism shown by the Tunisian community in China is proof of their commitment and devotion to Tunisia, despite being thousands of kilometres away from their homeland,” President Kais Saied told TAP on Wednesday evening in Beijing.

“I was moved by their deep sense of belonging to the homeland and their nationalism,” he added.

The Head of State recalled that “the whole world is fighting a war of liberation. In Tunisia, we are fighting a war of national liberation on all fronts.”

The President affirmed that “with such competent members of the community and with such a deep sense of belonging to Tunisia, the war of national liberation will surely be crowned with a clear victory.’

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: President Kais Saied met Wednesday, in the company of his wife Ichraf Chebil, with members of the Tunisian community in China.

The meeting, which took place at the seat of the Tunisian embassy in Beijng, was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar, Minister of Public Works and Housing and acting Minister of Transport Sarra ZaSfarani Zanzari as well as senior advisers at the Presidency of the Republic.

Addressing Tunisian expatriates, the Head of States said he is happy to meet with them. He urged them to take pride in belonging to Tunisia.

He also spotlighted the long-standing ties binding the two countries as well as achievements made in cooperation with China.

He praised China, in this connection, for the ability it has always demonstrated in accelerating the delivery of projects – the El Menzeh Cultural and Sports Centre being an eloquent illustration.

The two countries, the President said, are driven by the will to move forward with partnership in he
alth, transport and infrastructure.

The Silk Road brought about cultural exchange and gave impetus to trade between China and Arab countries, he further said. Tunisia played a key role in buttressing these trade relations.

The President reiterated, in another connection, Tunisia’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.

He shed light on the solidarity shown across the globe with the Palestinian people against the heinous crimes perpetrated by the Zionist entity in full disregard of international law and while building on an alleged legitimacy.

The whole of the Palestinian land is the property of Palestinians, he further argued.

The President listened to the proposals put forward by expatriates in a number of Chinese cities, including the creation of a centre of research and studies in connection to Tunisia-China relations and international relations. This in addition to encouraging and promoting cultural and artistic production in Tunisia.

The Tunisian community includes students in scientific and
arts subjects, mainly medical sciences and IT.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Sfax: The special unit of the National Guard carried out a mock exercise on Wednesday at the Amilcar oil facility, Nakta, Mahres delegation, Sfax governorate.

The operation consisted of thwarting a terrorist attempt to blow up the oil facility by five terrorists who hijacked a bus carrying workers and then stormed the facility, taking control of the administrative building and holding a number of hostages.

Spokesperson for the General Directorate of the National Guard, Brigadier General Houssam Eddine Jebabli, told TAP that the aim of this operation was to highlight the readiness of the special unit to confront anyone who would tamper with Tunisia’s security, given that the threat of terrorism is still present in all countries of the world.

He also stressed that such operations send a message that the special units of the National Guard, with all their specialisations, are a safety valve for Tunisia.

Jebabli explained that the mock exercise, which lasted 45 minutes, began with a self-protection system for
the sensitive oil facility, relying on the Guard units present at the site until the security group was notified.

The National Guard District of Sfax, with its various specialisations, then moved in to carry out rapid interventions, such as cordoning off the site, until the specialised unit of the National Guard of Sfax arrived and took control of the situation. This was achieved by first negotiating with the terrorist group, then storming the compound, eliminating the terrorist group and freeing the hostages.

The security forces treated the hostages as suspects, considering that they might be terrorists.

For her part, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines, Fatima Thabet Chiboub, said: “This mock exercise is part of the national strategy drawn up in cooperation between the ministry and the security services, including the National Guard and Civil Protection, and in coordination with the regional authorities.

The aim of this strategy is to “ensure the readiness of all security units to secure sensitive in
stallations, especially oil and gas installations”.

She highlighted the importance of the Amilcar oil field in ensuring energy independence, as it provides 35 per cent of Tunisia’s gas production.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: 57 MPs from different parliamentary blocs and unaffiliated members on Wednesday submitted a request to Parliament’s Bureau to expedite the consideration of a legislative initiative related to the revision of Decree 54 on combating crimes related to information and communication systems, which has been submitted to it since last February.

“The 57 MPs deposited their request at the Registry of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP) on Wednesday and it is up to the Bureau to refer our legislative initiative to the Committee on Rights and Freedoms, as required by internal law, in particular Article 123,” Mohamed Ali (Sovereign National Line Bloc), rapporteur of the Committee on Rights and Freedoms and one of the signatories of the request for urgent consideration, told TAP.

This article “gives MPs the right to present legislative initiatives, provided that they are presented by at least 10 MPs,” he added.

In his statement, the MP recalled that 40 MPs had submitted a legislative initiative to ame
nd this decree on February 20 and had not received a “written response from the Bureau of the Parliament, despite the fact that the request was brought to its attention on more than one occasion”.

He stressed that “the ARP Bureau has no right to confiscate the right of MPs, to exercise prior censorship or to impose an internal vote on members of the Bureau for the consideration of any legislative initiative submitted by MPs”.

A few days ago, during an event held by the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT), MP Mohamed Ali stated that the legislative initiative proposed since 20 February to revise Decree No. 54 included chapters 5, 9, 10, 12, 21, 22 and 23. In particular, it concerns chapter 24, which, according to him, “is the chapter that poses a real problem and is the main subject of the revision, given its harsh provisions and its use to restrict freedom of expression”.

The idea behind the submission of the initiative to amend Decree No. 54 was “to take the debate on it out of the public sphere
and put it on its natural and real legislative path,” he pointed out.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Minister of National Defence Imed Memmich, on Wednesday, honoured Major Ahlem Douzi, serving in the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), at a ceremony attended by the Chief of Staff of the Army.

The United Nations recently awarded Major Ahlem Douzi the 2024 United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers, at a ceremony held at the UN headquarters in New York.

The Defence Minister congratulated Major Ahlem Douzi and praised her success in flying the national flag on the international stage, especially in peacekeeping missions around the world, according to a ministry statement.

Memmich commended the achievements of female military personnel, their dedication to duty and the prominent role they have come to play in the national army, which inspires pride and admiration.

He wished Major Ahlem Douzi continued success and excellence in her future career path.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse