This Wednesday, Tunisia observes the 15th anniversary of its revolution’s outbreak, a foundational moment that redrew its political map and continues to dictate its turbulent journey. The commemoration itself is a testament to the revolution’s unfinished story, its meaning still fiercely contested in the halls of power and the streets of its birthplace. The narrative of the Tunisian Revolution has been officially recalibrated. Once celebrated on 14 January, the day former strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the palace, the national day is now fixed to its origins: 17…
Category: Editorial
Gabes: Urgent Reform and the Imperative of Coexistence
The people of Gabes are living a nightmare. For years, they have endured an environmental crisis of staggering proportions, their health and livelihoods poisoned by the legacy of industrial pollution. As they face rising rates of respiratory disease, cancer, and other ailments, their suffering is not just a statistic; it is a national shame. The President himself has rightly termed it an “environmental assassination,” a powerful indictment of the criminal and archaic policies that brought this region to its knees. The recognition from the highest levels of the state is…
Tunisia Emerges as a North African Tech Powerhouse
Often labeled as merely “stable” or “developed,” Tunisia is shattering expectations and forging a dynamic identity as a leading tech ecosystem in Africa. Compact yet powerful, the nation is leveraging international capital corridors, mature policies, and competitive infrastructure to rival the continent’s major startup hubs. This rise is built on a foundation of strategic advantages: one of Africa’s most startup-friendly political environments and a deep pool of engineering talent, making it a magnet for capital-efficient innovation. A Pioneer in Startup Policy Tunisia cemented its commitment early, launching Africa’s first startup…
Evacuation Day: A Legacy of Sovereignty
Tunisia today celebrates the 62nd anniversary of Evacuation Day the date in 1963 when the last French soldier left the naval base at Bizerte. The anniversary was hard-won; it was the bitter fruit of a decades-long struggle, the last page in a national liberation struggle initiated early in the 20th century, came to the dawn of independence in 1956, and was only finally achieved seven years later. The Bizerte saga is a story of stubborn determination. It started with the July 1961 armed conflict, when a national army, complemented by…
Tunisia’s Olive Oil Paradox: From Vast Groves to Lost Value
Tunisia stands at a pivotal crossroads, where a cherished tradition holds the key to a more prosperous economic future. With over 80 million olive trees blanketing 1.8 million hectares, the nation possesses the world’s largest olive grove area after Spain. This “green gold” is a vital national asset, contributing up to 40% of agricultural exports and 10% of all export revenues. Yet, this impressive footprint tells only half the story. The full potential of this sector remains locked, and the time to unlock it is now. The central challenge, and…
Tunisia’s Demographic Crossroads: Beyond the Baby Bust
The recently published conclusions of Tunisia’s 2024 census confirm what has been quietly unfolding for years: the nation is in the throes of a profound demographic revolution. With a record 17% of its population now over 60 and both marriage and birth rates in historic freefall, Tunisia is aging at an unprecedented pace. This is not a minor statistical blip but a deep structural mutation that demands a national conversation far more nuanced than simply urging citizens to have more babies. The figures are stark. The number of newborns has…
The Sea at the Gates: Tunisia’s Silent Coastal Emergency
Tunisia’s coastline, the very jewel of its tourism and a pillar of its economy, is under silent assault. The waves that lap its famous beaches are not just a source of beauty and recreation; they are now agents of a slow-motion crisis. As a recent World Bank report confirms, the country stands among the most affected in the world by marine erosion, a creeping threat that jeopardizes our natural heritage, our infrastructure, and our future. The numbers are stark and should serve as a wake-up call to the nation. With…
A Necessary War on the Barons of Speculation
The recent, decisive operations by Tunisian authorities against wholesale traders and intermediaries accused of speculation and price manipulation are more than just a routine law enforcement activity. They represent a critical and necessary battle in the ongoing war to protect the purchasing power of every Tunisian citizen. This past Friday, a coordinated effort led by the judicial police, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and municipal services, resulted in the arrest of over twenty major players across key markets from Bir El Kassâa to Sfax. This action, part of…
The Unseen Diagnosis: How Our Healthcare System Fails the Poor
A person’s health should not be a privilege dictated by their wallet or their postcode. Yet, a persistent and global truth endures: socioeconomic status is a stronger predictor of health outcomes than almost any genetic factor. From non-communicable diseases like diabetes to communicable illnesses, the burden of sickness and death falls disproportionately on the poor and less educated. This is not merely a matter of lifestyle choices; it is a systemic failure, and the very structure of our healthcare systems is often complicit in deepening this grave inequality. While factors…
The Private Advances, The Public Falls Back
The numbers tell a story of a nation increasingly divided along educational lines. This year, the Ministry of Education authorized 811 private primary schools, a rise of 37 from the year before. This is not merely a statistic; it is a stark indicator of a growing exodus and a two-tiered system taking root in our country. The undeniable expansion of private education highlights a profound and worrying retreat of the public school, once the great equalizer and bedrock of the republic. A glance at the geographic distribution of these new…