First Independent Mena Newspaper
North Africa’s tourism sector is experiencing remarkable growth, with Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia collectively welcoming 42.2 million visitors through October 2025. Morocco has cemented its position as the continent’s leading destination, now surpassing Egypt by one million arrivals while posting impressive double-digit growth rates. Morocco recorded 16.6 million tourist arrivals by late October, marking 14 […]
Human Rights Watch has denounced the arrest of three Tunisian prominent activists and their unjust convictions in a sham trial on charges of conspiracy and terrorism. On November 27, 2025, a Tunis Appeal Court sentenced 34 defendants in the politically motivated “Conspiracy Case”, including political opponents, activists, and lawyers, to between 5 and 45 years […]
On 27 November 2025, President Kaïs Saïed instructed Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti to deliver a second “firmly formulated” protest to a foreign State representative in Tunisia, following an initial protest sent two days earlier. Meeting at Carthage Palace, Saïed emphasised the imperative of respecting diplomatic protocol and national sovereignty, declaring that any disregard for […]
Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed summoned the European Union Ambassador to Tunisia, Giuseppe Perrone, on Tuesday to express a “strong protest” regarding what he considers a “violation of diplomatic protocols.” An official statement, released Wednesday morning, did not specify the exact reasons for this reaction. President Saïed conveyed to the ambassador his rejection of “practices outside […]
Human Rights Watch has called on Tunisian authorities to drop what it described as “unfounded charges” against five employees of the Tunisian Council for Refugees, who went on trial on Nov 24, amid an escalating crackdown on civil society groups. The rights watchdog also urged the immediate release of two staff members who have been […]
Tunisia’s trade deficit reached 18,435.8 million dinars (MD) by the end of October 2025, up from 15,716.4 MD over the same period in 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The coverage rate fell to 73.9% compared with 76.7% last year. The deficit was primarily driven by energy (-9,181.5 MD), raw materials and […]
Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, on Tuesday, November 11, met with Oman’s Ambassador to Tunisia, Hilal al-Sanani, to discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy and investment. According to the Government’s Hakomitna platform, Ambassador al-Sanani expressed Oman’s commitment to strengthening economic ties with Libya and promoting partnerships between institutions in […]
Tunisia’s draft State budget for 2026 has earmarked approximately 6,304.8 million dinars for the Ministry of Interior, reflecting a 5 percent increase — or 309 million dinars more — than in 2025. According to a report presented during the parliamentary session of the Defense, Security, and Legal Affairs Committees, the ministry’s expenditure breakdown includes 4,160.8 […]
Tunisia is witnessing a troubling escalation in authoritarian practices, marked by hunger strikes, expedited trials, and a crackdown on civil society, according to repeated alerts from human rights organizations and independent media. Despite mounting concerns, President Kaïs Saïed’s administration appears increasingly unresponsive to criticism, deepening fears of democratic backsliding. The suspension of the Tunis office […]
Tunisia has become increasingly unsafe for refugees and migrants, particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa, amid a surge in human rights violations that Amnesty International says amount to a dangerous dismantling of protections and a humanitarian crisis. In a newly released report titled “Nobody Hears You When You Scream: Dangerous Shift in Tunisia’s Migration Policy”, Amnesty International […]