Tunisia

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — African heads of state, representatives of international organizations and private business leaders gathered in Tunisia on Saturday for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, a triennial event launched by Japan to promote growth and security in Africa.

Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a food crisis worsened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, and climate change are among the challenges facing many African countries expected to define the two-day conference.

20 August 2022; MEMO: The Ennahda Movement in Tunisia on Friday criticised the 2022 Constitution as being "illegitimate" and: "An attempt to legitimise a coup against the revolution's Constitution, institutions and gains."

16 August 2022; MEMO: Tunisia's trade deficit has increased by 57.1 per cent on an annual basis in the first seven months of this year, Anadolu has reported. The increase comes amid a sharp rise in import costs due to inflation and the rising prices of basic commodities.

According to the Tunisian National Institute of Statistics, the trade deficit — the difference between exports and imports — amounted to 13.70 billion dinars ($4.3bn) compared with 8.72bn dinars ($2.78bn) recorded during the same period last year.

13 August 2022; MEMO: The Tunisian Ennahda Movement expressed its satisfaction with the Administrative Court's decision to suspend the implementation of the presidential dismissal orders against several judges.

Last Wednesday, the Administrative Court decided to suspend the implementation of President Kais Saied's decision to dismiss a number of judges, according to a judicial statement.

06 August 2022; MEMO: The Administrative Court in Tunisia announced the issuance of two first instance judgements about the appeals against the results of the 25 July referendum. The judgements ruled on rejecting the appeal submitted by the I Watch organisation and accepting the appeal submitted by the Echaâb Yourid party in form and rejecting it in merit.

This came in a statement on Fridayby the court published on its Facebook page.

30 July 2022; MEMO: The Tunisian Ennahda Movement has announced that the boycott of 75 per cent of those registered on the electoral roll for the referendum on the new Constitution: "Is evidence that the constitution is popularly rejected and completely null."

30 July 2022; MEMO: Tunisian President Kais Saied announced on Friday his rejection of what he considers external interference in Tunisia's affairs and an infringement on its sovereignty. This came due to statements made by its partners abroad following the referendum on a new Constitution.

In a statement by the presidency, President Saied expressed his: "Rejection of any form of interference in national affairs."

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisian voters have approved a referendum on a new constitution that gives more powers to the country’s president. It’s a step that brings hope to many in the struggling North African nation, but critics warn it could return Tunisia to autocracy and say low turnout marred the vote’s legitimacy.

Some people interviewed by The Associated Press this week celebrated the result of Monday’s referendum and expressed support for President Kais Saied, who spearheaded the project and proposed the text himself.

27 July 2022; MEMO: The US State Department warned on Tuesday that the new Tunisian constitution could "compromise" human and fundamental rights in the North African country. A referendum on the draft document was held yesterday at the insistence of President Kais Saied, who will have near absolute power in Tunisia if it is supported by the majority of citizens who voted.

27 July 2022; MEMO: The head of the Tunisian Ennahda Movement, Rached Ghannouchi, said yesterday that "the referendum on the constitution arranged by President Kais Saied was a farce rejected by 75 per cent of the Tunisian people."