Tunisian Foreign Minister Khamis Al-Jahnawi[/caption]
Tunisia has lived through difficult stages and successive changes of government since the "Arab Spring" which reflected in the weakness of its security performance and the decline in the economy, which in turn affected the community. The terrorist attacks on the Bardot Museum in Tunis and the Imperial Hotel in Sousse in 2015, which left scores of foreigners dead, further complicated the situation resulting in some European countries taking measures and warning their citizens not to travel to Tunisia. But since the beginning of 2016, there have been breakthroughs at various level which have positively reflected on all sectors, prompting Britain and other countries to no longer caution against travel to Tunisia.
In an interview with Majalla, Tunisian Foreign Minister Khamis Al-Jahnawi talked at length about the political, security and economic situation in Tunisia.
by Nadia Turki
How do you evaluate Tunisia’s foreign relations? Have they improved compared to 2015, particularly after the country witnessed successive terrorist attacks?
Since the election of President Beji Caid Essebsi, Tunisia's foreign policy has restored its credibility and adopted a more proactive and credible approach. Tunisia has been able to regain its active presence in its immediate surroundings and in the international arena and it has regained its status as a constructive force and an active member of the international community which promotes security, stability and development and the values of cooperation and solidarity among peoples.
In this regard, the participation of the President in international summits such as the summit of the most highly industrialized countries in world (G7) in Tormina, Italy (26 - 27 May 2017), the G20 Africa Partnership Summit in Berlin (12 - 13 June 2017), the first ever European-Tunisian summit which was held on 1 December 2016 in Brussels, and the frequency of visits by foreign officials to our country highlights the growing interest in Tunisia and its stances.
Despite the terrible events that occurred in 2015, I can say that Tunisian diplomacy has largely succeeded in removing negative perceptions of the country. The best indication of this is the increasing number of tourists coming to Tunisia in the past two years and the growing investment intentions, particularly following the success of the International Conference on Economic and Investment Support in Tunisia held on 29 and 30 November 2016.
I would like to emphasize that the achievement of these positive results is due mainly to the gains made in the field of democratization, the building of the rule of law and the important successes achieved in the security field.
More than ever before economic diplomacy is the priority of the ministries and our priority in missions abroad to drive investment and develop foreign trade.
Do you expect The British Foreign Office’s decision to no longer advise against travel to Tunisia to be a sufficient incentive for investors and tourists to return to Tunisia?
The tourism sector is a very sensitive sector due to its strong relationship with the security, political and social conditions. Tunisia, like other countries in the world, has been subjected to terrorist attacks which have had a direct impact on the tourism sector. However, the measures taken by the Tunisian government and the important successes of our national forces in the field of security and the efforts exerted by Tunisian diplomacy and the Ministry of Tourism have enabled us to overcome the effects of these attacks and restore the world's tourism operators’ confidence by convincing them of Tunisia's ability to provide security and safety for its guests and the conditions for the return of tourist activity. This is already reflected in this year's successful season, as well as the opening of new luxury hotel chains in Tunisia in 2017.
We hope that Britain’s move will have a positive impact on the influx of British tourists. There are encouraging signs that the most important travel agencies in the UK will return to Tunisia to coordinate their activities like they did before 2015. I look forward to my visit to Britain in October 2017 as an additional opportunity to further support the dialogue with the UK which has historical friendly ties with Tunisia to develop the economic partnership and to enhance cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
When inviting investments during negotiations with foreign countries, are you able to say that Tunisia is country free from the threat of terrorism?
No country in the world is safe from the threat of terrorism. All UN reports acknowledge that this phenomenon remains a danger in every country in the world and it is too early to talk about its demise despite the great victories achieved by nations and the international alliances in combatting terrorist organizations. The readiness of the Tunisian military and security forces and their performance has enabled them to launch successful pre-emptive strikes against terrorists and thwart their plans and to uncover sleeper cells. This has set a great precedence for Tunisian counter terrorism and its significant security successes in recent years after the important development of its capabilities. Moreover, the absence of terrorism incubators amongst the public and the awareness of Tunisians of the threat this phenomenon has on the security and stability of the country has enabled it to be surrounded and encircled. Tunisia remains vigilant in order to avoid any risks in this area and has the same level of security as major European capitals.
I believe that the most important message to foreign investors in this regard is to reassure them of the security situation in Tunisia by emphasizing the seriousness of national preparations in various fields to contain the scourge of extremism and combating terrorism.
Have you reached agreements on the return of Tunisians who travelled to Syria and Iraq? What is their fate?
The return of terrorists from hotbeds of tension is a direct threat to the national security of every country. Dealing with these people and preventing them from carrying out terrorist acts, assisting in them, contributing to polarization or engaging in criminal acts varies from one country to another. For Tunisia, the national strategy for combating extremism and monitoring terrorism involves dealing with foreign fighters by strengthening the legal framework to criminalize creating social polarization and facilitating the movement of fighters to hotbeds of tension in addition to establishing mechanisms to deal with them strictly to protect society from danger.
Has the security situation in the Middle East affected the economic and political climate in Tunisia, despite the geographical distance?
Unfortunately, the Arab region is fraught with tension and severe crises and is going through a very dangerous stage. Despite some efforts made, especially during Tunisia's presidency of the Arab League Council in 2016-2017, and despite the intention of the Secretary-General of the league to revive Arab solidarity and initiate joint Arab action, the crises that followed the Arab revolutions have intensified, particularly in Libya, Syria and Yemen. The emergency dispute in the Gulf region created a new rift in the Arab fabric. We hope that they will overcome this dispute at the earliest time so that the Council will regain its status as a key pillar in the Arab system.
Since the 2014 elections Tunisia has maintained distinguished relations with all Arab countries based on cooperation and mutual respect. It has endeavored to develop various and diverse partnerships based on mutual interest. This manifested in official visits by the President of the Republic to a number of Arab countries and in the revival of a number of joint committees as well as visits made by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a number of other ministers to a significant number of Arab capitals.
The difficult conditions and the severe crises experienced by the region affect the volume of exchanges and investments between Tunisia and various Arab countries. This requires the reconsideration of the joint Arab action plan established over 70 years ago as well as thinking of new mechanisms that would contribute to the alleviation of the crises and the creation of an Arab security framework or umbrella to resolve disputes and reduce their political, security and economic effects.
The crisis in Libya has affected the Tunisia domestically and its foreign relations. Tunisia has played an important role in reaching many agreements in Libya’s internal and foreign affairs. Is Tunisia currently playing a role in reaching a reconciliation between the various parties in Libya? What is this role?
The crisis in Libya has directly affected the situation in Tunisia. Our country has borne the brunt of the crisis since 2011 and has received the largest number of refugees from Libya. Despite the high price that Tunisia paid for the expansion of terrorism and the weakness of the central state in Libya, our trade with Libya, which exceeded $ 2.5 billion before 2011, has declined significantly, if not disappeared. We always emphasize the deep and historical relationship between the peoples and the strategic and vital relations between the two countries.
Tunisia has received Libyan refugees without discrimination and a large number of them have settled in our country - a duty we have carried out with pride and humility. The President has spoken with the various actors on the Libyan scene and Tunisia has hosted the United Nations Support Mission in Libya since 2014 and continues to support the mission to perform its duty in the best of circumstances. The same is true for most diplomatic missions that have been approved in Libya and operate in Tunisia.
The formation of the Presidential Council of the National Reconciliation Government took place in Tunisia and advanced from Tunisia to Tripoli. It was coordinated by the Tunisian authorities under the security of the Tunisian forces. This is our duty towards our brothers in Libya because the stability and security of Libya is the stability and security of Tunisia.
In order to address the deadlock and reach a solution to the crisis in late 2016 and the difficulties encountered in the implementation of the political agreement for 2015, the President of the Republic Baji Kaid al-Sibsi launched an initiative to resolve the Libyan crisis. He created internal and international mobility and removed the threat of armed conflict between the Libyan parties and put the political trajectory back on the right track.
The initiative culminated in Tunisia announcing a comprehensive political settlement in Libya on 20 February 2017 which was signed by the foreign ministers of Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria. The three-country initiative aimed to create coherent political messages addressed to Libyans and regional and international actors.
Tunisia realises the integrity of the attempts made by its Libyan brothers to find a solution to the crisis. Tunisia is constantly pushing towards the adoption of an objective approach based on the fundamental principle that the solution must be Libyan and must emerge from comprehensive dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations and built on the grounds of political agreement which the Libyans themselves agree upon. These are the general principles underlying the thee-country initiative between Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.
The message that Tunisia is directing today to the international community and actors is the need to join efforts to find a solution to the crisis under the auspices of the United Nations and to support the new United Nations envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salama, to manifest a qualitative shift in the path to a comprehensive political settlement.
We have confirmed this message on every occasion, most recently during my participation as the representative of the President of the Republic at the fourth meeting of the African Union High-level Committee on the crisis in Libya which was held in Brazzaville on 9 September. The participants in the meeting agreed to launch a new round of talks in Tunisia before the end of September 2017 with the participation of the House of Representatives and the Supreme Council of the Libyan State under the auspices of the United Nations as stipulated in the political agreement. The aim is to make consensual amendments to the political agreement signed in December 2015 and to accelerate the completion of the remaining constitutional and electoral duties. We will put all our capabilities and experience into the democratic transition with the cooperation of our Libyan brothers and the United Nations.
While many international governmental and non-governmental organizations consider that the Tunisian experience was successful, particularly after the adoption of the constitution and when comparing to the security situation in Tunisia to the situation in other Arab counties post-“revolution”, others believe that the situation in Tunisia was much better before 2011 and that the country is suffering economically and socially. How do you assess the current situation compared to the past, especially since no one can deny that Tunisia was a stable and open country?
We have been living through a historic phase during the past six years marked by the democratic transition that culminated in the first free and pluralist presidential and legislative elections in the history of Tunisia and the promulgation of the new constitution of the Republic which is distinguished by its progressive and civil tone and. There is no doubt that this process still requires a lot of work and perseverance to consolidate it and develop it so that the pillars of democratic governance are based on solid foundations and achieve the legitimate expectations of the Tunisian people.
But it is no secret that the changes in Tunisia are profound and radical, and naturally, they have somewhat confused the general situation in the country. In addition to the accumulation of economic and developmental difficulties, we have had to confront the scourge of terrorism and to direct national efforts to restore security, stability and social peace, under a turbulent international and regional situation, which is extremely precarious and complex.
We now live in a harmonious political climate and deal with the economic and social situation with all its difficulties using the same reformative approach and support the capabilities of the security forces and the military. We have achieved very important victories in countering terrorism. This has led to the lifting of the travel ban imposed by several European countries after the summer of 2015, which in turn led to a recovery in the tourism sector and in the size of investments and thus the beginning of the recovery of the national economy.
The wheel of history can never be turned back. Tunisia is progressing, albeit at a pace that seems at first glance slow, but it is steady. We are confident that the national economy is on the way to recovery and that Tunisia has all the objective conditions to become, within a realistic time, a promising economic pole in the heart of the Mediterranean basin.
Has the majority held by the Renaissance movement, the Islamic wing in Tunisia, caused you pressure and difficulties in reaching agreements with other international parties whose interests do not lie in the rise of Islamic parties in Tunisia?
The existence of the Renaissance is not limited to the Assembly of the Representatives of the People. Like all other national political parties and major civil society organizations in the country, they are part of the political scene and partners in the national unity government, and they determine their role, like any political party, according to the will of the free Tunisian voter. Tunisia's relations with all international actors are very good and are developing rapidly. A week doesn’t pass without the signing of cooperation agreements in various fields. This is a sign that all countries respect the choices of the Tunisians and the consensus among the people which is a feature of the democratic experiment in Tunisia and supports the stability of the country.
There is currently a lot of internal political debate in Tunisia and the external relations of components of the government and different parties are often raised and used between parties as pressure. Here I am referring to external support from multiple bodies to serve their agendas at home. How does this affect political activities? Does it hinder it or is it healthy for a "nascent democracy," (if that is the correct term)?
It is true that Tunisia is described as an "emerging democratic state," and it is. The activities of political parties, whether inside or outside the Government of National Unity, as long as they are committed to the country's choices, public orientations, national sovereignty and the principles of Tunisian diplomacy, can serve as a backbone of government action. I affirm that the independence of national decisions and interests are a red line, which I think all the national parties in Tunisia are committed not to overstepping.
In light of the rise of right-wing movements and the spread of terrorism around the world, do you see solutions to the economic crisis in Tunisia, especially since hope depends on external parties reviving investments and tourism which are the pillars of the economy?
I would like to emphasize that over the past six years Tunisia has made steady and progressive steps in its transitional path, largely because of its human and material potential. But it is natural that we live in a world where interests are intertwined. In order to provide the foundations for economic growth, social advancement and comprehensive and sustainable development, our country needs to develop its partnerships and expand its relations and cooperation with various countries.
Indeed, Tunisian diplomacy is working hard to strengthen cooperation with our traditional partners in the Arab, African and European arenas, and to motivate these countries to make investments in development projects that help to combat rampant unemployment especially among university graduates.
We are aware that we are moving within a precarious and unstable regional and international context. In addition to the economic crises experienced by many countries, especially in Europe, the phenomenon of the increasing threat of terrorist attacks and the exacerbation of the refugee crisis and waves of migration have aggravated divisions in many countries in the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean and resulted in a significant rise of the right-wing forces within the European Union.
However, Tunisian diplomacy is required to deal with this reality with all its difficulties and contradictions in order to preserve Tunisia's national interests, develop its relations, define its achievements and enhance its status and role among nations.
