Tunisia: President Kaïs Saïed visits Paris against the backdrop of the Libyan crisis

Text by: Houda Ibrahim Follow

Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed is the first foreign official to be received at the Elysée since the end of the confinement. He will pay a 24-hour official visit to Paris on Monday, June 22, in response to the invitation of the French Head of State, Emmanuel Macron. During this visit, the two presidents will discuss, among other subjects, the situation in Libya.

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This visit by the Tunisian president was originally scheduled for last February, but was postponed due to the coronavirus. It is a “ work and friendship  ” visit  , we read in a press release from the Tunisian presidential palace. It will be an opportunity to consolidate bilateral relations between the two countries and to discuss the economic and security situation in Tunisia.

Emmanuel Macron and Kaïs Saïed must also look into the latest developments in the Libyan case. This country has a 460 km border with Tunisia and the insecurity in Libya weighs heavily on the Tunisian political and economic stability.

Neutrality of Tunis under strain

Tunis, in fact, which has always made neutrality a principle in matters of foreign policy, is today in a difficult position. The country is divided with in particular the parties of the political Islam movement which take sides for the Libyan Islamists and for the Turkish intervention in Libya.

Thus, the positions of Rached Ghannouchi, head of parliament and president of the Ennahdha party , have not gone unnoticed and have earned him two questions in Parliament since the start of the year, and a censure motion earlier this month of June. He was then accused of having a secret agenda not reported on that of Parliament.

In addition, his visit to Ankara in January and his recent congratulations to Fayez el-Sarraj for having defeated Khalifa Haftar in western Libya were very annoying, to the point that it was the president himself who came out of his silence to make a point, last May. The latter accused Ghannouchi of going beyond his prerogatives by meddling in foreign policy, the preserve of the presidency, according to the Constitution. "  There is only one president in Tunisia  ", had then hammered Kaïs Saïed.

For secular parties, it is clear that the Turkish president, Erdogan, nostalgic for the Ottoman empire, is trying to rally the Tunisian Islamists, like everywhere in North Africa, to his causes in Libya.

Financial aid for Tunisia

The visit of the Tunisian head of state to Paris also comes at a time when France is increasing international contacts to develop a common position vis-à-vis Libya. Against a backdrop of tension with Ankara, the French Foreign Minister will also receive his Greek counterpart on Monday before making the trip to London and Berlin to discuss Libya, Turkey and NATO in detail. .

Other priority files include security cooperation in the Mediterranean and financial aid to Tunisia which is going through the worst economic crisis since its independence. "  There will be announcements at the financial level,  " say Tunisian sources.

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• France
• Tunisia
• Kaïs Saïed
• Emmanuel Macron