Rachid Maboudi
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18:56 – December 24, 2024
The economic advisor of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries, Fethi Ben Khalifa, underlined “the need to strengthen Tunisia’s economic diplomacy in order to preserve its traditional markets and conquer new outlets.” During a televised speech, he expressed “his concerns” concerning the export of Tunisian olive oil “at ridiculous prices abroad”emphasizing that the price of Italian olive oil “had reached nine euros per liter while Tunisian oil was selling well below its real value.”
Mr. Ben Khalifa expressed “his astonishment” faced with Morocco's decision to buy 10,000 tonnes of olive oil from Brazil while Rabat and Tunis are regional neighbors. He questioned “the role of embassies and their usefulness if they fail to preserve traditional markets or conquer new ones.” According to him, economic diplomacy “must be activated to facilitate trade and not be limited to the European Union, a saturated market.”
The expert thus pleaded “for concerted action by Tunisian parties in order to implement an effective and profitable marketing strategy for Tunisian olive oil, beneficial for all actors in the production chain”according to widely commented comments.
A Tunisia subservient to an isolated Algeria
Relations between the two countries are going through an unprecedented void. In August 2022, Morocco announced the recall of its ambassador to Tunis after Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed welcomed, after heavy Algerian pressure, the leader of the Polisario Front separatists before a Japan-Africa forum. This welcome “is a serious and unprecedented act, which deeply offends the feelings of the Moroccan people and its leaders”declaimed the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Rabat press release further criticizes Tunis for having invited “unilaterally” Brahim Ghali at this summit “against the advice of Japan and in violation of the preparation process.” Facing “this hostile and harmful attitude”the kingdom decided to “cancel your participation in Ticad” and to remind “immediately for consultations” his ambassador in Tunis.
“This is a new and unacceptable drift, unnecessarily provocative and which goes against the traditional position of Tunisia,” noted a Moroccan diplomatic source. “Tunisia has allowed itself to touch on a sacred cause for all Moroccans”she added. According to Morocco, however, the recall of its ambassador “in no way affects the strong and intact ties between the Moroccan and Tunisian people, who are linked by a common history and a shared destiny.”
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