The European Union (EU) has released financial aid, crucial for Tunisia, of 150 million euros, the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission announced on Wednesday, December 20.
This funding aims to “support efforts” from Tunisia “to promote the recovery of the economy through improvement in the management of public finances and the business and investment climate”according to a communicated distributed by both parties.
This aid was agreed upon during the signing of an agreement in principle on July 16 in Tunis for a new ” partnership “ between the EU and the North African country, which also included an important component of the fight against irregular immigration.
The Tunisian state, which devotes a good part of its resources to repaying debt of around 80% of its GDP, needs liquidity to purchase subsidized products such as milk, flour, rice and oil. housewives who experience chronic shortages.
The assistance will consist of “direct financial transfer to the Tunisian public treasury”according to the press release, which confirms the desire of ” Implementation “ other aspects – energy, student exchange – in a “partnership of equals”.
Tunis returned aid at the beginning of October
At the beginning of October, a dispute broke out between Brussels and Tunis, which had returned aid of 60 million euros to the EU, an unprecedented approach for a partner country, according to Brussels.
The Tunisian President, Kaïs Saïed, said he rejected the ” charity “ of the EU and assured that the sum had been paid “without the Tunisian authorities having been informed in advance”denouncing a “attack on dignity” from his country.
The funds were in reality planned as part of a post-Covid recovery aid program, unrelated to the July protocol, which also includes aid of 105 million euros to Tunisia to fight against irregular immigration.
The migration aspect is the subject of controversy, including between European countries, linked to concerns about attacks on the rights of migrants in Tunisia.
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According to a report published Monday, December 18 by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), migrants from sub-Saharan Africa live in Tunisia in conditions “unworthy” and are the subject “arbitrary arrests, forced displacements and illegal expulsions” towards the borders with Libya and Algeria. More than 8,500 of them have been expelled since June, according to figures provided to Agence France-Presse by international humanitarian sources.