"Tunisia, which accepts cooperation, does not accept anything that resembles charity or handouts," President Kais Saied said at his meeting Monday at the Carthage Palace with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar. He added "Tunisia and its people do not seek sympathy, but rather reject it if it lacks respect". This statement follows discussions on Tunisia's relations with the European Union, in particular the Union's recent proposal to support the country's budget and combat irregular migration. According to a press release from the Presidency, the Head of State expressed Tunisia's rejection of the announcement made by the European Union in recent days. This is "not because of the small amount offered, as the treasures of the world are not equal to a single grain of our sovereignty in the eyes of our people, but because this proposal contradicts the MoU signed in Tunisia and the spirit that prevailed during the Rome Conference in July 2022, which was initiated by Tunisia and Italy". He stressed that Tunisia is making every effort to dismantle the criminal networks involved in human trafficking, and it has never been the cause of the misery suffered by the majority of African countries. 'Tunisia, like many other countries, has suffered at the hands of the current global system and does not want to be a victim again, nor do the countries from which these waves of migration come. They are victims of a global system that lacks justice and respect for human dignity.' The meeting also discussed Tunisia's participation in the United Nations General Assembly and the meetings held on its margins, as well as the results of the Foreign Minister's visits to Moscow and Pretoria. President Saied expressed his satisfaction at the positive response Tunisia has received on the international scene, both in the North and in the South, as a result of its adoption of new approaches that break with the past. He noted that the world is undergoing significant changes and that Tunisia, which is committed to the principles of non-alignment, must keep pace with these changes and be an active partner, with a heard voice and unwavering positions, in shaping a new history for humanity.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse