Tunisia -
Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Al-Jarandi reveals - in a lengthy dialogue with Al Jazeera Net - Tunisia's diplomatic position on the war in Ukraine, and responds to the opposition's talk about Tunisia's diplomatic isolation and its deviation from the democratic path after the president's actions last July 25, as well as changing her allies and friends.
Tunisia voted in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution on the situation in Ukraine.
Some considered this a departure from the neutrality of Tunisian diplomacy, and a bias towards the Ukrainian side at the expense of Russia due to external pressures. How true is that?
I want to stress first that the vote was a sovereign decision and Tunisia was not subjected to any kind of pressure from any party.
Our vote was based on conviction and in accordance with the principles and constants of our foreign policy that call for resolving crises by peaceful means and resorting to dialogue and negotiations, given that military operations will not contribute to finding solutions but will generate more violence, not to mention the deterioration of humanitarian conditions.
We have seen the repercussions of the military escalation from the waves of asylum towards the Ukrainian neighboring countries, and we also felt it during the evacuation of our community and the troubles and difficulties it experienced in leaving the Ukrainian lands.
In our explanation of the vote, we made it clear that our position came as a victory for the purposes and principles of the United Nations, and that the world, which is still under the weight of the Covid pandemic, cannot bear more crises of this magnitude and gravity. We also called on the international community to intensify its efforts to encourage the parties to sit at the negotiating table and stop operations Military protection of human lives.
President Kais Saied (second from right) during his participation in the African-European Summit in Brussels on February 18 (Anatolia)
You accompanied the President of the Republic in the African-European Summit, and he had meetings with leaders and heads of state.
How do you rate this post?
Can it be considered a guaranteed message and a response to the president's opponents who speak of diplomatic and international isolation after July 25?
We live in Tunisia in a democratic climate that is open to criticism, especially if it is constructive criticism and far from political recruitment. As for saying that Tunisia lives in diplomatic isolation, it is a false statement and far from reality. Tunisia is strongly present on the international scene, which is confirmed by the visit that The President of the Republic presented it to Brussels and his participation in the European-African Summit, in the presence of more than 70 European and African heads of state and government.
This visit aims to strengthen cooperation and integration between the African Union and the European Union as representative and executive bodies of policies in the countries of the two continents, in order to further support growth and establish policies to confront the common challenges facing our countries, whether they are security, economic, climate and others.
This visit is an occasion in which the President of the Republic highlighted Tunisia's vision for cooperation between the European and African continents, which focuses on mutual respect, solidarity development and the emphasis on the independence of national decision, especially enabling the continent to make optimal use of its resources, which would enhance the welfare and development of its peoples and advance cooperation with The rest of the spaces, including the European Union space.
So, do you consider that this participation achieved its goals?
Our evaluation of this participation was very positive, as His Excellency had multiple meetings with many African and European heads of state, as well as with many officials, whether in the European Union or the African Union.
These multilateral events represent an opportunity to exchange views on current issues and issues, as well as an opportunity to present our vision of cooperation relations between the European and African spaces, as well as bilateral relations.
Our participation in the work of this summit contributed to further dedicating the African dimension to Tunisia, especially since our country will be a destination for African leaders through two prominent events in 2022, I mean the Tokyo International Conference on Development in Africa and the Francophone Summit, and we will work to make Tunisia, during these two prominent events, the focus of attention. The world, by receiving the leaders of many countries of the world and the most important financial partners and international donors.
The President stressed that his participation in the Brussels summit was an opportunity to clarify the reality of the situation in Tunisia, despite what he described as fallacies and lies that he was promoting from inside the country.
Isn't the president's justification, after about 7 months of his actions, to foreign parties, evidence that these parties are not convinced that what he has done is a course correction and not a coup against the constitution?
The participation of the President of the Republic in the summit represented an opportunity for His Excellency to dialogue with Tunisia’s partners about the transformations that Tunisia is experiencing, especially the decisions he took since July 25, recalling his keenness to continue the democratic transition on sound foundations away from the formalities that emptied Tunisia’s democracy of its content.
His Excellency also expressed his firm belief in the rule of law and institutions, his respect for public and private freedoms, resistance to all forms of corruption and the application of the law to everyone without exception.
In this context, we recall the measures announced by the President of the Republic on December 13, 2021, during which he presented a calendar that includes the stages of political and constitutional reforms that will culminate in legislative elections on December 17, 2022, which were praised by all parties at home and abroad. This step is an important building block in our country's democratic construction.
This calendar mainly contains the launch of a popular consultation for the first time in the history of Tunisia through an electronic platform that takes place for the purpose, enabling Tunisians to express their opinions on issues related to political, electoral, economic, financial, social and development affairs, digital transition, health, quality of life, and social affairs.
The organization of popular consultations has also been initiated in each delegation starting on January 1, 2022, and concluding on March 20, 2022 with the anniversary of the Independence Day, with the creation of a committee to consider the consultation’s proposals and crystallize its outputs in the form of constitutional reform projects to be submitted to the popular referendum. On 25 July 2022.
In every media appearance, the Tunisian president stresses national sovereignty and rejects any interference in Tunisian affairs. On the other hand, his opponents see that these are Tunisia's traditional partners, especially the European and American side.
How to deal with this equation: maintaining sovereignty and maintaining good diplomatic relations with foreign partners?
In its foreign policy, Tunisia has always followed sobriety and balance in its positions regarding international changes, and has remained faithful to its principles of respecting the sovereignty of states and the principle of peoples' freedom to determine their own destiny.
From this standpoint, as a sovereign state, we refuse to interfere in our internal affairs, regardless of the faults and causes, as much as we do not allow ourselves to interfere in the affairs of others.
To consult with our partners and friends does not mean at all accepting the interference of any party in our internal affairs, and the Tunisian people are firmly committed to independence in national decision-making, and categorically reject any interference in our sovereign decisions.
This is confirmed by the President of the Republic, Kais Saied, on various occasions, and is well understood by all our partners and friends around the world.
We highly appreciate all the support our country has received in order to establish a true democracy that guarantees the freedom of the people in a state that upholds the principles of respect for the law, and this is what we see through our various interactions with these partners.
We also work with everyone in order to provide all the ingredients for the success of democratic construction, accepting their interactions and clarifying our positions, decisions and orientations that some seek to distort for political purposes away from reality. On the previous deviations and fallacies that the people came out on July 25 to put an end to.
Many consider that Tunisian diplomacy changed its compass and its allies after the president came to power, which was evident in the close relations that the president had with sister countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, unlike what it witnessed during the past ten years.
Is it a new diplomatic and strategic option?
Tunisia has always remained faithful to its principles based on its good relations with all countries and their strengthening. Its supreme national interest denounced it and what is beneficial to our people and its commitment to its principles and principles.
His Excellency the President of the Republic, Kais Saied, is very keen to preserve Tunisia’s relations with all brothers and friends and elevate them to the highest levels. The supreme interest of the country is the true compass.
We are keen that our relations with everyone are not tainted by any blemishes, in light of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries. As for the return of warmth to our country's relations with a number of brothers and friends, it is a correction and a return to constants.
In addition to its close relations with the brothers in the Arab Maghreb, Tunisia is very keen to deepen the bonds of brotherhood with all the brothers in the Arab and Islamic worlds, and the President had a first visit to brotherly Algeria in February 2020, followed by the reception of His Excellency President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Tunisia. This highlights the common concern to raise the level of relations between the two brotherly countries, Tunisia and Algeria, to a strategic level.
The visit of the President to Cairo at the invitation of his brother, His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, represented a new building block in the history of the distinguished and strong fraternal relations that unite our people with the brotherly Egyptian people.
We seek to embody this spirit on more than one level with all our brothers in the Arab world, through the exchange of views and the continuous coordination of positions between the President and his counterparts on the most important issues of concern to our Arab region, including constant communication and continuous exchange of views via phone calls, especially with our brothers In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where the President of the Republic, Kais Saied, is appreciated by his brothers and by the various kings and heads of Arab countries, and he coordinates with them constantly on the most important issues of concern to our Arab region, which confirms that Tunisia spares no effort for further advancement Its relations with all Arab countries to the best ranks.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tunisia is blamed for the presence of more than 16 consulates and embassies without a consul or an ambassador. Why do you think this delay in naming them?
The annual movement of ambassadors and heads of diplomatic centers is the result of a process of auditing and evaluating the activities of all our missions at all levels, and the process of appointing ambassadors is subject to this logic according to eligibility, experience, competence and ability to provide the addition.
Tunisia started its talks with the International Monetary Fund and international financial institutions.
How do you evaluate this path in light of the developments that Tunisia has known, and what role does diplomacy have in reaching an agreement that experts see as crucial to saving public finances?
We consider that the developments that Tunisia has witnessed are not likely to affect the course of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, as nothing will disrupt them or prevent the Fund from agreeing to Tunisia's request, especially after the success of technical talks during last February, and the announcement of the launch date for official negotiations in March. This March.
The amount of funding requested by Tunisia is not huge compared to the amount of funds granted by the International Monetary Fund, and the activities and operations of the financial and banking institution are not affected by transient developments and continue in a normal fashion.
We are keen, through our diplomatic contacts, to make every effort to convince international donors, especially members of the International Monetary Fund, of the correctness of our economic and social choices, and to reassure them about the reform path pursued by our country, which would ensure the success of this cooperation for the benefit of Tunisia and its partners in this field.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Tunisians Abroad, as well as our embassies in the capitals of brotherly and friendly countries, are working to support the national effort at the level of mobilizing support for the Tunisian negotiating team, in order to provide all chances of success to finance the national economy.
I am optimistic about the negotiation tracks, and I hope that our country will be able as soon as possible to mobilize the necessary resources to finance the national economy.
In the midst of the escalating conflict between the Ukrainian and Russian sides, your ministries launched evacuation operations for the Tunisian community there.
If you give us an idea of the progress of the process, especially since there is no Tunisian embassy in Kyiv?
Before the outbreak of the war, and since the emergence of the Ukrainian crisis, His Excellency the President of the Republic took a personal interest in following up on the situation of the members of our community in this country, and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Tunisians abroad to prepare for all possibilities, including immediate evacuation and provision of all appropriate conditions for them, as he stressed that On several occasions, Tunisia will not leave any citizen without providing him with the necessary assistance, even if he is in the last corners of the earth.
We are following the developments of the situation in Ukraine hour by hour, and we have established a cell to follow up on this crisis and to secure the process of evacuating members of the Tunisian community in Ukraine in the best conditions and at the required speed.
In a short time, we were able to establish ways of communication with them, and for this we harnessed all the necessary human capabilities, and for this purpose, a number of diplomats from the central administration and our embassies in a number of European countries were assigned to support our missions in Poland and Romania, where we registered a field diplomatic presence on the borders These two countries are with Ukraine, which is considered a precedent in the history of Tunisian diplomacy.
Thanks to God, we succeeded in organizing 4 evacuation flights in record time since the outbreak of the conflict, targeting 510 Tunisians and their families via Tunisian Airlines military and civilian planes, in coordination with the concerned Tunisian ministries, especially the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Transport, where we conducted the first operation to evacuate the students on March 1. March 2022, followed by two evacuations on the 2nd and 7th of the same month, from Romania and Poland.
Through this air bridge, which the President of the Republic authorized to establish, we have secured the return of about 75% of the community members who have not left Ukraine, and the Tunisian state has harnessed all the human and material resources necessary for the success of this process.
What about the Tunisians who were unable to return?
We are now continuing to follow up on some of the special situations of those in areas of tension, by coordinating with the Ukrainian authorities and neighboring countries, including Russia, as well as humanitarian organizations and representatives of Tunisian civil society on the spot, to secure safe passages for the rest of Tunisians who are still inside Ukrainian territory.
I take this occasion to renew my thanks to the Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian, Moldovan, Russian and international humanitarian organizations for their cooperation with us to evacuate the Tunisians stranded in Ukraine, and we hope that the sound of the guns will be silenced as soon as possible in order to preserve the lives of innocent civilians.
Tunisia concluded its non-permanent membership in the Security Council, which extended for two years.
How do you rate its outcome?
It was a rich outcome, as we sought, during Tunisia's non-permanent membership in the Security Council for the years 2020 and 2021, to be the voice of the Arabs and the African continent in this UN forum, which we succeeded in achieving to the utmost.
We were able, for the first time, on the initiative of the President of the Republic, to issue Resolution No. 2532 of 2020 aimed at stopping all forms of conflict in the world and devote ourselves to confronting the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tunisia spared no effort in supporting just causes, especially the cause of the proud Palestinian people, as Tunisia made great efforts, sponsored talks and mobilized various forms of support to stop the aggression of the occupying entity on the Gaza Strip in May 2021, which has already been achieved and made our country appreciated and respected by various components of the international community.
It also worked during its non-permanent membership to bring together views on the file of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and Tunisia defended a basic idea calling for a negotiated and final solution between the countries concerned with the conflict, under the auspices of the African Union.
His Excellency the President of the Republic, Qais Saied, also participated in many of the Council’s activities, and called in its various interventions to further devote human rights in various countries of the world, and to respect the aspirations of peoples, especially in our Arab region and on our African continent.
Qais Saeed while receiving the Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Stephanie Williams (communication sites)
How do you view the developments after the Libyan parliament announced the election of a new designated prime minister, and is there a new role assigned to Tunisia, especially since you had a meeting in Tunisia with the UN envoy, Stephanie Williams?
The security and stability of Libya and their preservation remain a priority and a central issue for our country, and we hope that the political track in this neighboring country will restore its order as soon as possible, and that the brotherly Libyan people will succeed in establishing their constitutional institutions and restoring their usual security and stability, which would enable Libya to regain its role and position in The Maghreb, Arab, Mediterranean and regional regions.
The most important thing for Tunisia is the success of our brothers in Libya in reaching solutions that produce permanent institutions capable of facing the internal and external challenges of this brotherly country, which is dear to us by virtue of neighborliness, history, culture and kinship ties between the Tunisian and Libyan peoples.
The stability of Libya will also contribute to confronting together all the evils that threaten our region, especially the phenomena of terrorism, organized crime, human trafficking and illegal immigration.