Year: 2017

Tunisia Aims To Strengthen Trade Relations With ECOWAS Region

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Tunisia plans to increase its trade with other African countries in general, and with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in particular. This was stated by the Tunisian Minister of Commerce, Omar Behi, after the courtesy visit he paid to Marcel de Souza, President of the Commission of the West African Organisation, on 2 November 2017, in Abuja, Nigeria. “The first phase of the trade will be with ECOWAS, which will be the largest gathering of countries on the African continent,” said Mr. Behi. A memorandum of understanding…

We know and believe in Allah more than they do…

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Farewell Commander Riadh Barrouta. We remain recognizing and remembering you as well as your colleagues, whom their bloods have been shed on roads, hills and mountains for securing the country from any hazard and terrror. You are the hero and the martyr and paradise is your everlasting home. So rest in peace and we all pray for you for a better home. But the doer of the cowardly act is but an ignorant whose last refuge is hell. Ultimately, you are a real martyr, who are a victim of a…

Syrian refugee ties the knot Tunisia

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After fleeing conflict in his hometown of Aleppo, Chawket overcame adversity and tradition to find happiness in his adopted home. Dressed in a dark suit and bow tie, his hair neatly combed to one side, 30-year-old Syrian refugee Chawket Cheikh Mohammed smiles warmly as the guests congratulate him and his new wife after their wedding ceremony in Sfax, Tunisia’s second city. The joy of the day is tempered with sadness for Chawket. Having arrived in the country in 2014 after fleeing brutal fighting in his hometown of Aleppo, he has…

Morocco Maintains Lead in North Africa in Latest World Bank “Doing Business” Report

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In the World Bank’s 2018 “Doing Business – Reforming to Create Jobs” report, Morocco again ranked number one in North Africa and third overall in the Middle East and North Africa region. Morocco’s overall score (67.91) placed it over 10 points above the regional average (56.72) and a strong performer in comparison to Tunisia (63.58) and Algeria (46.71). The report is the 15th annual report measuring regulations that enhance or inhibit business activity and focused on indicators that affect the ease of doing business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting…

Number of Migrants Arriving in Greece from Turkey up 200 per cent

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The number of migrants arriving on the Greek islands from Turkey since this August is up 200 per cent compared to the same period last year. Greek Migration Policy Minister Yiannis Mouzalas described the spike as a “special phase” and explained that arrival rates had shot up from 87 people per day in July to 156 per day in August, and then 214 a day in September and October. With around 4,000 people arriving on the islands in October alone, Mouzalas described the situation at the congested camps on Lesvos as…

Tunisia policemen protest demanding ‘protection’

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Hundreds of Tunisian policemen demonstrated on Friday in the central city of Sfax, demanding that parliament adopt a law on “protecting” them which civil groups have called “dangerous” for democracy. The demonstrations come two days after an Islamist extremist stabbed two policemen outside parliament. One died on Thursday of his wounds. The protesters, some in their police uniforms, marched in the city before rallying outside the prefecture, holding up signs that read: “We demand a law that bans attacks against policemen.” Another sign said: “Such a law is a right,…

Four Seasons sets out offers ahead of Tunisia hotel debut

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Four Seasons is preparing to debut in Tunisia, launching special offers ahead of the opening of its hotel in the capital Tunis in December.  The 200-room Four Seasons Hotel Tunis is built in extensive gardens with a beachfront location in the affluent Gammarth neighbourhood, as well as being a short drive from the Roman ruins of Carthage. “Four Seasons Hotel Tunis is a seaside oasis, yet conveniently located for those doing business in the city,” said general manager Ahmed Khalaf. “We also look forward to becoming the preferred choice of…

Tunisian policeman dies after stabbing by suspected radical

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A Tunisian police officer who was stabbed in the neck by a suspected Islamic extremist has died of his wounds Thursday, less than 24 hours after the brazen attack that shook the north African country’s capital. Commander Riadh Barrouta died of the injuries he sustained in Wednesday’s incident near the headquarters of Tunisia’s Parliament after emergency surgery failed, according to Tunisian Interior Ministry spokesman Yasser Mesbah. The alleged attacker, a 25-year-old whom authorities said was known to them for radicalism, was quickly arrested after the incident by patrol officers stationed…

Turkey detains 281 illegal migrants in nationwide operations

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A total of 281 foreign nationals were taken into custody in Turkey on Wednesday for illegally being in the country, according to security sources. Turkish coast guard units in the western coastal province of Izmir held 54 people, including 38 Syrians and four Afghan nationals who were trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy. They set off from the Didim district of Aydın and attempted to illegally reach Greek islands. Another 48 foreigners, including women and children, were found by the police in the eastern Turkey’s Elazığ province.…

Tunisia: Banque de l’Habitat gets market regulator’s greenlight to raise $40mln from its shareholders

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 – Tunisia’s housing bank, Banque de l’Habitat, has obtained the approval of the Financial Markets Council to increase its capital by 68 million Tunisian dinars (TD), thus bringing it to 238 million TD ($95.5 million). The capital increase will take place partly through the issuance of 6.8 million new shares, at a unit price of 15TD. This operation which should help raise 102 million TD ($40.2 million) will mainly be reserved to the lenders’ shareholders. However, the latter have until December 15, 2017, to manifest themselves. Additionally, Banque de l’Habitat…