EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and the head of the Tunisian government, Youssef Chahed, met in Davos on Wednesday 18 January, where they discussed the situation in Libya and bilateral cooperation in the security domain, explained the European delegation in Tunis on its website, citing an official Tunisian press release.
Chahed is reported to have briefed Mogherini on progress in the current talks as part of his country’s initiative (launched together with Algeria and Egypt) to encourage the achievement and maintenance of peace in the entire region.
Bilateral EU-Tunisia cooperation on security issues is currently under discussion in the ‘Political dialogue on security and counter-terrorism,’ the second meeting of which took place in Brussels on Thursday 19 January (see EUROPE 11705). Our sources say that along with assessment of the general situation, operational measures will also be discussed, including implementation of each side’s strategies and joint strategies for preventing violent extremism and radicalisation. They were also due to discuss reform of the Tunisian security sector, the EU’s support for the country’s security and judicial system and an appeal for expertise from specialist European agencies.
Shortly before the meeting, the head of the Tunisian delegation, Mohamed Mezghanni, who is director general of European affairs at the Tunisian foreign ministry, said that Tunisia had big ambitions and the country’s men and women had huge aspirations. He was addressing participants of the tripartite dialogue, including civil society, that took place last week in the Tunisian capital, co-chaired by himself and the European ambassador in Tunis, Patrice Bergamini. (Original version in French by Fathi B’Chir)