(TAP) – High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini Tuesday said there is need to seek to give hope and a role to Tunisian youths. ”Investing in Tunisia’s present and future and particularly in Tunisian youths is a strategic priority for the European bloc,” she said following a meeting Tuesday with Foreign Minister Khemaïes Jhinaoui.
The EU is committed to providing more substantial support to Tunisia over the coming years, she indicated. The European Parliament and the European Commission recently decided to beef up the financial support earmarked for Tunisia to the tune of 300 mln euro in 2017 and keep up the pace till 2020,” the European official highlighted. The EU likewise plans a massive scale-up in financial support to Tunisia in the coming years.
“Our partnership with Tunisia goes well beyond mere financial support; it encompasses environment, employment, economic development, security and foreign policy, ” Mogherini underlined. ”All EU member states fully endorse Tunisia’s special and privileged partner status. ”
Besides, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini met with President Beji Caid Essebsi.
After the talk, the head of European diplomacy commended the “positive development of the Tunisia-EU relations, asserting the determination of the EU to support Tunisia to achieve its development programmes.”
The head of European diplomacy also met Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.
Europe’s support to Tunisia in this transitional phase was discussed at the meeting.
Mogherini affirmed the EU’s readiness to expand co-operation with Tunisia in terms of job creation in disadvantaged regions and offering new training opportunities for Tunisian youth through European and Mediterranean educational programmes.
The European official said the International Investment Conference scheduled for November 29-30 in Tunis, “will see a massive participation” including private investors and European banks.
European investment in Tunisia will increase, she added, noting that new forms of investment meeting this phase’s requirements are being considered.
In another connection, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Mrs. Federica Mogherini, on Tuesday, kick-started the integrated programme for the protection of Lake Bizerte against pollution.
A unit of management by objectives was created for the implementation of this programme whose cost reached 220 million dinars, financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD ), the European Commission and the Tunisian government.
Lake Bizerte is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by a 7 km channel and located in close proximity to natural resources both on land and in the sea. About 400,000 people live in the adjacent Bizerte region alone
Comments are closed.