Category: Key Issues

Tunis: Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mounir Benrjiba, held a teleconference on Wednesday with the heads of consular missions.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting came within the framework of the follow-up of work related to the provision of administrative services to the Tunisian community abroad.

The Minister stressed the need to step up efforts to ensure the best conditions for the summer return in terms of the quality and timeliness of the services provided, in particular the renewal of passports, as well as greater attention to the community at the maritime transit points of Genoa, Rome, Marseille, Salerno and Palermo.

This is in addition to continuing to pay full attention to all segments of the Tunisian community abroad, including families, students, professionals and new generations, according to the same source.

At the beginning of the meeting, he recalled the measures taken and asked the heads of
consular missions to inform the community.

This meeting follows two ministerial working sessions held on April 22 and 23, chaired by the Prime Minister in the presence of a number of ministers and members of the government, to discuss the issue of renewing passports for the community and preparing for the return of Tunisians abroad this summer, he noted.

For their part, the heads of consular missions expressed their willingness to do their utmost to provide quality consular services and the best conditions for the return of the Tunisian community to their homeland.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Nabil Ammar, met on Wednesday with Alfonso Campisi, an Italian-Tunisian writer and professor at the University of Manouba, who presented him with his latest publication on migration from Sicily to Tunisia between the 19th and 20th centuries.

The meeting comes within the framework of supporting cultural communication and recognising the importance of the role of cultural diplomacy as a tributary of Tunisian diplomacy, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the depth and tradition of Tunisian-Italian cultural relations, noting that the intertwining of the two cultures is an interesting model that will serve to support and strengthen relations between the peoples of the two countries.

He explained that Tunisia, as an Arab country with its cultural, linguistic and religious reserves, is not complex and is open to all European peoples and cultures, especially Italy, which
it considers one of its closest partners because of their common cultural affinities.

For his part, the Italian-Tunisian writer and academic expressed his pleasure at this meeting. He said that Tunisia had a very special place in his heart. He recalled his family’s migration from Sicily to Tunisia since 1830 and the peaceful coexistence of Sicilians and Tunisians, which led to the establishment of strong cultural and social ties. He said that a member of his family had been forced to leave Tunisia in 1943 for supporting the Tunisians’ struggle against the colonialists.

Campisi said he would continue his research and writing to promote Tunisia and the value of its people, who accept and respect all other cultures and religions, and who are steeped in an open and tolerant Islamic religion. He also said that he was looking for ways to establish the guarantee of equality between Tunisian and Italian students in the framework of scientific exchange programmes.

He also expressed his willingness to participate in
the event to be organised by the Ministry in the framework of Tunisia’s presidency of the International Organisation of the Francophonie.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar on Wednesday received during his meeting with Oman’s Ambassador to Tunisia Hilal bin Abdullah Al-Senani, a written letter from Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq to President of the Republic Kais Saied.

Besides, the FM was handed over a letter from his Omani counterpart Badr Bin Hamad Bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, saying that he welcomes the invitation to visit Tunisia and is ready to honour it as soon as possible, a Foreign Department press release reads.

During the meeting, Ammar pointed out the deep and strong long-standing relations of fraternity binding Tunisia and Oman and the need to further scale up bilateral cooperation, in a way that meets the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples.

The two sides commended the positive dynamic recorded in Tunisian-Omani relations during the recent period and in the exchange of visits between the two countries’ senior officials, especially following the visit of Tunisa’s FM’s visit to Oman la
st January 30-31, on the occasion of the 16th session of the Joint Commission.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The decision to close the investigation issued by the investigating judge at the judicial counter-terrorism division in the ‘conspiracy against State security’ case on April 12, 2024 expressly states that the media are strictly forbidden to report on the twists of the case until it has been referred to the competent court.

This clarification was made by Hanene Gueddes, spokeswoman for the judicial counter-terrorism division in a statement to TAP.

Moreover, the spokeswoman warned that any media coverage of the details of this case would necessarily result in criminal proceedings being brought against the offenders, in accordance with the laws in force.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office added that this decision was taken following the violations observed in the media coverage of the case, which was referred to the Indictments Division of the Tunis Court of Appeal, by virtue of the decision to close the investigation handed down by the examining magistrate of the Judicial Counter-Terrorism Division on Apr
il 12.

In a statement to TAP on April 16, the spokeswoman said that the investigating judge in charge of the case of ‘conspiracy against State security’ had completed his work and issued a decision to that effect on April 12, 2024, in full compliance with the procedures and deadlines laid down by law.

The spokeswoman added that the investigating judge specified in his decision that the precautionary measures decreed in the context of this case would remain in force, including in particular a ban on media coverage of the case until the competent court had ruled on the merits of the case.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The 25th meeting of the Tunisian-Italian Joint Military Commission, which began on Monday in Tunis, ended on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Imed Memmich and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto co-chaired the closing session.

In a speech delivered on the occasion, Minister Memmich praised the “positive atmosphere” in which the work of the Commission took place, highlighting Italy’s support in the military and development fields, according to a statement from the Ministry.

The Minister highlighted the positive results of the military activities carried out in 2023. He underlined the mutual interest of both sides in ensuring the success of the jointly planned activities for 2024 aimed at improving the operational capabilities of the military institutions of both countries.

Memmich stressed that the annual convening of the Tunisian-Italian Joint Military Commission demonstrates the willingness of both countries to raise bilateral cooperation to the desired level.

For his part, the Italian Minister of De
fence expressed his satisfaction with the success of this session of the Military Commission and the constructive nature of the debate between the two delegations. This, he said, would open up new prospects for further cooperation in various fields, including training, military health and the exchange of experts.

The Tunisian-Italian Joint Military Commission is held annually, in rotation between the two countries, with the aim of evaluating the activities planned between the two countries and drawing up a roadmap for joint activities planned for the following year.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The date for the presidential elections will be set following the publication of the presidential decree summoning voters to the presidential elections, in accordance with the provisions of Article 101 (new) of the electoral law, said the Council of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE).

In a press release published on Tuesday, the Electoral Authority specifies that article 101 (new) of the electoral law provides that “the convocation of voters takes place under a presidential decree within a minimum period of three months before the polling day for the legislative, regional, municipal and presidential elections, and within a minimum period of two months for the referendum.

The members of the council of the Electoral Authority, who met on Tuesday at the headquarters of the ISIE, ahead for the next electoral events, also examined the project amending the decision of the Independent Higher Authority for the elections n°2014-18 of August 4, 2014, relating to the rules and procedures for ca
ndidacy for the presidential elections, already amended under ISIE decision n°18-2019.

Participants in the meeting discussed ways to harmonize it with certain articles of the constitution and the electoral law and with article 30 of the penal code.

The members of the council examined the means of adapting decision n°18 of the ISIE to some articles of the constitution including Article 88 (relating to the religion of the candidate), Article 89 (relating to nationality, age and civil and political rights), Article 90 (relating to the dates of elections), the same source adds.

According to the ISIE, Members of the council also discussed the adaptation of the decision in question to the provisions of Articles 40, 41 and 42 of the electoral law and Article 30 of the penal code, relating to ballot No. 3.

The meeting was also an opportunity to examine several issues linked in particular to the monitoring of vacancy filling operations within local, regional and district councils and to the body’s draft budget for
2025.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: A Takfiri was arrested by the National Guard in Menzel Temime, Nabeul, the Directorate General of the National Guard said on Tuesday.

The Takfiri, sentenced to one year in prison, is wanted by police and judicial authorities.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Nineteen human corpses were fished out in the last 24 hours by the Sfax National Guard and midland coast guard units, and were taken to the mortuary, according to a National Guard General Directorate press release.

Besides, five suspected smugglers and middlemen of irregular migration operations were arrested, the same source said.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Carthage: President of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune and President of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohamed Younes al-Menfi arrived Monday in Tunis, at the invitation of President of the Republic Kais Saied.

The Head of State saw his two counterparts in at the Presidential Airport, while the national anthems of the three countries were performed, before reviewing with each of the two guests a detachment of the three armies paying them honours.

The two Presidents are paying a visit to Tunisia to participate in the first consultative meeting between the leaders of the three sisterly countries, according to the Presidency of the Republic press released issued last Saturday.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Over 100 civil society activists, politicians and public figures signed a joint statement on Sunday, in which they called for “the electoral process to not be altered by adding new standards modifying the conditions for candidacy”.

The signatories stressed the need to refrain from making any changes to the electoral law and to the conditions for standing as a candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, with the exception of age and nationality requirements, indicating that any changes made by the Independent High Authority for Elections (French: ISIE) to this end will undermine its credibility.

The signatories also called for not depriving, under any pretext, candidates who have not been definitively convicted of their right to run for the presidency.

They further urged for the setting up of the Constitutional Court and the judicial, administrative and financial order, as well as the withdrawal of Decree-Law 35, which allows the President of the Republic to dismiss judges without consulting
the relevant judicial authorities.

Decree-law no. 54 must also be annulled and platforms of TV and radio institutions must be made open to both supporters of the “process” and its opponents, in particular the presidential candidates, they added.

The joint statement was inked by 102 civil society activists, politicians and public figures, including professor Sadok Belaid, former minister and human rights activist Kamel Jendoubi, Coalition Soumoud General Coordinaor Houcem El Hami, former minister Faouzi Abderrahman, former MP Mustapha Ben Ahmed, and academic Youssef Seddik.

The presidential election are expected to be held in Q4 of 2024. The 2022 Constitution stipulates that the presidential election should be held during the last three months of the Presidential term.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse