The President of Tunisia inaugurates his visits outside the Arab world to France

Tunisian President Kais Saied did not derogate from the unwritten protocol and the political rule which stipulates that Paris is the first foreign channel (outside the Maghreb and Arab area) of Tunisian presidents in view of the “special” relations between the Tunisia and France.

However, this visit, delayed due to the Coronavirus, is taking place under difficult circumstances for both parties. On the one hand, Tunisia suffers internally from economic, social, political and financial problems, and the clashes in the city of Tataouine are the most striking. Externally, the Libyan crisis weighs heavily on Tunisia, which shares 500 km of borders with Libya and has been hosting tens of thousands of Libyans since 2011. What is more, according to European sources in Paris, the emergence of a kind of “conflict of powers” in the field of foreign policy between the palace of Carthage and the presidency of the Parliament concerning the Libyan file, which gave the impression of the existence of “duplicates” despite the constitutional text which puts foreign and defense policy in the hands of the President of the Republic. . On the other hand, France suffers from the consequences of Covid 19 and the consequences of the interruption of the economic cycle and the economic losses that result from it, the accumulation of debts, the suspension of companies, and the increase in the figures of unemployment … Moreover, Paris may have lost its cards in Libya after the growth of the Turkish and Russian military presence and the ambiguity of the situation. American and the growing tension between him and Ankara. Thus, the Libyan dossier should be the main course between Emmanuel Macron and Qais Saeed. What gives the meeting additional importance is that Paris and Tunisia cooperate within the UN Security Council and the role it can play in monitoring the ongoing war and facilitating dialogue.

Saeed’s visit, which has been postponed due to the outbreak of the pandemic, is the first by a foreign head of state to France since the stone was imposed in mid-March, and it is taking place at the invitation of the first officially. The Tunisian presidency has anticipated the visit, calling it a “working and friendly visit”. However, its timing has many meanings in light of what happened in the Tunisian parliament two weeks ago regarding a draft resolution calling on France to apologize for the “crimes” it committed during. the colonial period of Tunisia and its demand to compensate the Tunisians and the Tunisian state. Although the bill was not passed by parliament and only obtained 77 votes, while 107 had to be approved, the discussions and altercations that took place showed deep divisions regarding relations with the former colonial state. There is no doubt that the two presidents will take the opportunity of the visit to underline the friendship between their two countries.

Despite the briefness of the visit, its program was intense, as it was a long meeting between the two parties, followed by a closed-door meeting, an official dinner at the Elysee Palace and an interview with the press. In addition, Said met the Tunisian community in France and is expected to visit the Institute of the Arab World before returning to his country at the end of the 24-hour visit.

According to French sources, Paris is “concerned” with stabilizing Tunisia and protecting it from the repercussions of the Libyan war, not only against it, but throughout the North African region and the countries of the Sahel. Paris had previously warned against Turkey’s expansion to Maghreb countries, and viewed this as a “strategic threat” to French and European interests. In addition, there are fears that the “Syrian model” will reproduce in Libya, that is to say the division of spheres of influence between Turkey and Russia. And between Paris and Tunisia today, there is a “unity of position”, centered on the ceasefire, the exit of foreign powers, and the search for a political solution that includes everyone. Without a doubt, President Macron wanted to hear from his Tunisian guest the “details” of his country’s position, his reading of this crisis and its process, and to ensure foreign policy.

Economically, Tunisia expects Paris to stand by its side in the suffocating crisis it is going through and fears unemployment will reach record rates of up to 20 percent. However, what may limit the volume of French aid is the fact that Paris, Tunisia’s first economic partner, suffers from an unprecedented accumulation of debt, and has, along with many members of the European Union, such as Italy and Spain, on loans from the unified European debt project. President Macron estimated the “cost” of the coronavirus at 500 billion euros. But France, given its privileged relations, remains Tunisia’s “main gateway” to join the European Union.