Summary:

On Wednesday 28 August 2024, the Ministry of Commerce and Export Development announced a new economic partnership and free trade agreement with Qatar. 

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The announcement came after the round of negotiation that took place on 26 and 27 August between a Qatari delegation and Tunisian Commerce officials. The Tunisian government indicated that the agreement constitutes a step forward towards economic complementarity between the two countries and that it will promote a qualitative change in their bilateral cooperation. 

Meanwhile, the new Qatari Ambassador to Tunisia has recently been engaged in numerous meetings with Tunisian officials, including the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Interior, the head of the Parliament and the new Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss the cooperation between the two states and the organization of the Tunisian-Qatari Joint Higher Committee. 

These latest developments follow a previous effort to establish an office of the Qatar Development Fund in Tunisia which was refused at the time  by the Parliament when the MPs rejected the proposal due to its colonial attributes.  

Outlook: 

The recent agreement is a step forward for the relationship between Tunisia and Qatar after relations cooled considerably following President Saied’s seizure of power on 25 July 2021.  

During that period, Tunisian authorities went as far as to accuse Qatari telecom company Ooredoo of being involved in facilitating the assassination of political leaders in Tunisia. 

This shift in relations points to mutual interest in preserving economic ties as President Saied’s administration continues to face financial difficulties. Meanwhile, Qatar is seeking to maintain its position as the second largest investor in Tunisia, which has long served as a foothold for economic, political, and cultural influence in North Africa. 

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