Brussels, 16/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherina (who is also vice-president of the European Commission) will visit Tunisia shortly after a new government is formed there, but a date has not yet been set.
The announcement was made in Tunisia last week, following the visit of interim Tunisian prime minister Mehdi Jomaa to Paris, where he took part in the anti-terrorism march by heads of state. His government will soon be handing over to a new government. Negotiations are under way and the forming of a new government, the first after the transition period. The general and presidential elections are eagerly awaited by the EU institutions. The MAMA group (Maghreb-Mashreq) at the EU Council of Ministers met on Tuesday 13 January to examine the situation and hold a discussion with Tunisia's ambassador to the EU, Tahar Cherif. Sources say the talks focused on the economic recovery that is hoped for after four years of crisis, tackling terrorism (which has been witnessed in some parts of Tunisia) and the wider Maghreb area (North Africa), where agendas seem somewhat set in stone but the EU has pledged to contribute to the sub-region's integration process.
The EU institutions hope that the new government will continue with the recovery programme introduced by Mehdi Jomaa's government that is backed by the country's international partners. The EU provided €485 million in 2011-2013. It says it wants to reinforce its aid and double its annual grants for the near future, and has agreed with Tunis on a 'strategic framework' for 2014-2015, for which €220 million of non-repayable aid is expected to be programmed. In addition, €300 million of macro-financial aid in the form of a medium-term loan has been agreed, which will be disbursed in three portions of €100 million in 2014 and 2015 under a financing agreement published in April 2014 and signed in September.
This €300 million loan was decided upon in a record quick timespan in order to meet pressing needs for the “new Tunisian democracy.” Under eligibility criteria for international finance (population numbers and GDP), Tunisia would only have been able to acquire €250 million. It was hoping to be granted €500 million.
Institutions in Brussels are unhappy that Tunis is taking so long to get its parliament to ratify the financing agreement. The ANC (National Constitutive Assembly), whose term of office has just ended, did not treat the question as a priority, and the new Assembly of Representatives of the People is still being set up. (FB)