First Independent Mena Newspaper
Tunisia has gained the European Union advanced status, becoming the 2nd North African country after Morocco to obtain such a title, the status of a privileged partner with the EU. The decision was made during the Tunisia-European Union (EU) Association Council’s 9th session held lately in Brussels. Tunisia has requested last March an EU advanced […]
After a one-month suspension, the extraction and exploitation of phosphates in the Gafsa mining basin (south-west) as well as the phosphate washing activities have resumed their normal pace last week. The transport of phosphate and triphosphate via the railway has also resumed starting from Métlaoui (one of the towns on the mining field) towards Gafsa, […]
Tunisia has denied the news reported by French magazine “Marianne” alleging the existence of jihadist training camps on its soil. The Tunisian interior Ministry on Tuesday denied the news that was reproduced by some Tunisian media. “The internal security forces, in collaboration with the national army, closely monitor the border regions and are vigilant in […]
Human Rights Watch has decried the mass dismissal last May of 75 judges by the Tunisian Justice Minister, Noureddine Bhiri, as an “unfair” and “arbitrary” procedure that sets a disturbing precedent and deals a blow to judicial independence. “The dismissal of 75 judges by Tunisia’s justice minister was unfair and arbitrary. The firings set a […]
Tunisia announced that investments in the industrial sector grew by 14.8 percent during the first nine months of the current year to 2,754.2 million dinars (MD) against 2,398.1 MD, during the same period in 2011. The number of investment projects totaled 3,032 (against 2,896 the previous year), recording an increase of 4.7 percent, reported l’Agence […]
Tunisia and the European Union will start talks in the few coming weeks on an Open-Sky agreement expected to create new destinations, more job opportunities, spur economic growth and reduce flights costs. The two sides are expected to engage in several rounds of negotiations on the liberalization of the rules and regulations of the international […]
Tunis Financial harbor was the topic of discussion between the Tunisian government and Bahrain’s investment bank Gulf Finance House. The latter wants to develop the harbors aiming to be North Africa’s first offshore financial centre. A high profile delegation from GFH led by acting CEO, Hisham Alrayes, and Lutfi Alzaar, the CEO of Tunis Financial […]
Before the Soviet Union controlled the former republics of Central Asia, Sufi brotherhoods dominated the religious scene in Chechnya, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. However, the Soviet policy toward Islam drove these Sufi groups underground for fear of persecution. In the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet bloc, legions of radical Islamists filled the gap left […]
Tunisia’s president, Moncef Marzouki, has voiced concerns over insecurity in the region as he claims that Islamist militants linked to Al-Qaeda are moving towards North Africa from Southwest Asia. He blames their migration on the lack of policing of the Sahara desert by North African countries which heavily dominates the southern part of the region. […]
Head of Tunisia moderate Islamist Ennahda party, Rached Ghannouchi, has vowed to fight and stand up to the hardline salafists who showed lately their real face when they added oil to the fire in the deadly violence that rocked the country over anti-Islam film. “These people pose a threat not only to Ennahda but to […]