Tunisia and the EU are to hold the second session of their high level political dialogue on security and counter-terrorism, which will take place in Brussels on Thursday 19 January. The dialogue was initiated on 11 May 2015 when European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos visited Tunis. His visit was followed by regular exchanges led by European Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove, before the first session of the high level political dialogue took place in Tunis on 21 September 2015.
The second session will involve a joint assessment of the terrorist threat both in Tunisia and the Maghreb, and in Europe. It will enable the measures taken by both parties to be listed – the goal being to establish lines of cooperation on counter-terrorism and related areas, such as radicalisation and money laundering. The second session will also involve support for reforms to Tunisia's security structure. It is not stated whether the issue of migration will be part of the exchange of views, at least from the angle of the promise of facilitation for Tunisians and, in return, the signature of a readmission agreement.
Tunisians are very concerned about the consequences of national jihadists who have left to fight in Syria and Iraq. Civil society is mobilised against their return.
The European Delegation in Tunis says that the session on 19 January bears witness to the strong European desire to stand in solidarity with Tunisia in its fight against a common threat. Tunisia suffered three major terrorist attacks in 2015. (Original version in French by Fathi B'Chir)