Portuguese Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions Hadja Lahbib, expressed during their meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Immigration and Tunisians Abroad, Nabil Ammar, on Wednesday at the Ministry’s headquarters, “the full solidarity of the European Union and its Member States with Tunisia following the cowardly operation that took place yesterday on the island of Djerba”. The two ministers also expressed the willingness of the European side to continue to support the course of reforms in Tunisia and its willingness to support Tunisian efforts to face the current challenges and contribute to advancing the development and recovery of the Tunisian economy in the mutual interest of both parties. For his part, Ammar called on his counterparts to “convey messages of reassurance to all partners on Tunisia’s willingness to receive and protect all its revered visitors throughout the upcoming summer period. After expressing his aspiration to intensify European investments, especially qualitative and value-added investments in Tunisia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs called for “reducing customs barriers and strengthening the movement of people between Tunisia and the European Space”. This meeting represented “a renewed opportunity through which the Tunisian and European parties took note of the distinguished strategic partnership between the two sides and agreed to continue consultations to deepen and diversify them further and raise them to the highest level in order to meet the current challenges in the service of the common interest and in an effort to secure the elements of equitable and comprehensive development by encouraging integration and economic integration and by pushing investments in the high value-added areas brought by digital and environmental transitions and alternative and renewable energies,” he said. “This cowardly attack (referring to the Djerba operation) will not affect the image of Tunisia, which will remain a land of tolerance, moderation and peaceful coexistence between all sects and religions,” he said, noting the readiness and effectiveness of Tunisian units to react quickly to this isolated incident. Ammar also called on the European partner to “understand the accuracy and specificity of the historical stage that Tunisia is going through and the objective motivations that paved the way for July 25, 2021,” recalling Tunisia’s willingness to “strengthen its democratic choice, protect fundamental rights and freedoms and establish an economic and social platform that meets the aspirations of the Tunisian people.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse