Tunisia must give democratic guarantees before obtaining international aid

The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken said he was concerned about taking the full powers of the Tunisian president Kaïs Saïed.

Le Monde with AFP

Tunisia must respond to concerns about its democratic system before being able to claim international economic aid it sorely needs, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday April 28.

The head of American diplomacy, who was expressed before a commission of the House of Representatives, said he was caught up in the full powers of Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed and estimated that Tunisia should ” “Keep before the end of the year the promised parliamentary elections.

“I think the most important thing for them is that they are fully eligible for the help of international financial institutions, he said. We have clearly said that our support is possible, but that that We want to see Tunisia going on the path that was his. “

Tunisia began preliminary discussions in February with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), of which the United States is the main shareholder, in the hope of obtaining several billion dollars to save a heavily indebted, penalized economy by inflation and endemic unemployment.

Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, elected in 2019 before taking full powers in July, argued on Friday April 29, the right to appoint the head of the electoral authority, a few months before a referendum and a ballot legislative that this body must supervise.

Administration Biden recently hardened his criticisms against Mr. Saïed, calling for a rapid return to a “constitutional government” in this cradle country of “Arab Spring” at the end of March.

/Media reports.