Tunisia

Brief Description

Home of the ancient city of Carthage, Tunisia was once an important

player in the Mediterranean, thanks to its location in the centre of North Africa,

close to vital shipping routes.

The Romans, Arabs, Ottoman Turks and French realised its strategic

significance, making it a hub for control over the region.

French colonial rule ended in 1956, and Tunisia was led for three decades by

Habib Bourguiba, who advanced secular ideas, foremost of which was the

emancipation of women.

Tunisia is more prosperous than its neighbours. Agriculture employs a

large part of the workforce and tourism is a key sector.

Mass protests unseated President Ben Ali in 2011 - the first of a series of popular

uprisings to sweep the region.

The country's transition has been relatively peaceful, but secular

Tunisians, especially women, are worried about the growing influence of ultra-

conservative Islamists. And there is a mounting challenge posed by Islamist

militants who claimed responsibility for attacks in 2015 in which 60 people were

killed, most of them foreigners.

Tunisian Republic

Capital: Tunis

 Population 11.5 million

 Area 164,150 sq km (63,378 sq miles)

 Major languages Arabic (official), French

 Major religion Islam
  Life expectancy 74 years (men), 78 years (women)

 Currency Tunisian dinar

President: Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi

Source: UN, World Bank [CITATION Placeholder1 \l 1033 ]

Tunisia and the Philippines Relations

The Philippines and Tunisia have signed three agreements to bolster

bilateral relations.

The bilateral pacts include the Memorandum of Agreement on the

Establishment of a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between the Philippines

foreign affairs department and Tunisia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Agreement on

Cultural Cooperation; and Memorandum of Intent between the Foreign Service

Institute (FSI) of the Philippines and the Diplomatic Institute for Training and

Studies (IDFE) of Tunisia.

The agreements were forged during the recently held inaugural

Philippines-Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) hosted by Manila.

In order to facilitate the growing trade relations of the Philippines and

Tunisia, a Joint Philippines-Tunisia Business Council was established following

the JCM proper.

The Philippines and Tunisia also discussed shared interest in preserving

and promoting peace, harmony and stability. 

With desire to fulfill the commitment to combat terrorism, the two countries

agreed on the proposal to cooperate in the field of intelligence sharing and other

counter-terrorism related projects that will promote development and prosperity.

[ CITATION Xin15 \l 1033 ]

Geographical Intelligence

Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to

the west, Libya to the southeast, and Mediterranean Sea to the north and east.

Tunisia is dominated by the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Sahara Desert

in the south.

The Atlas Mountains extend northeast from the Algerianborder to

the Mediterranean Sea. To the north and east of those mountains the topography

is generally characterized by low, rolling hills and flat coastal areas.

The Sahara is the largest desert in the world, and a small part of it covers

Tunisia. The Grand Erg Oriental is a large erg or "field of sand dunes" in central

Tunisia.

The Kerkennah Islands are are a series of low-lying islands no more than

42 ft. (13 m) above sea level. Jerba Island, about 20x20 km in size, is connected

to the mainland by a road originally built by the Romans.

The Medjerda River rises in Algeria and then flows through Tunisia before

entering the Mediterranean Sea. With dozen of smaller tributaries and a length of

1,476 ft. (450 km), it is the longest river in Tunisia.

Lake of Tunis is a natural, shallow lagoon located between Tunis and the

Gulf of Tunis (Mediterranean Sea). The lake is 14 sq miles, (37 sq km) in size.

A series of (mostly dry) salt lakes, known as shatts, lie in an east-west line at the

northern edge of the Sahara. One of them, Shatt al Gharsah, is the lowest point

in Tunisia at -55 ft. (-17 m) below sea level. [CITATION Wor181 \l 1033 ]
Economic Intelligence

Tunisia’s economic freedom score is 58.9, making its economy the 99th

freest in the 2018 Index. Its overall score has increased by 3.2 points, with

significant improvements in trade freedom, investment freedom, and fiscal health

outpacing a lower score for the labor freedom indicator. Tunisia is ranked 10th

among 14 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, and its overall

score is below the regional and world averages.

Tunisia - Economic Indicators

Referenc

Overview Last e Previous Range Frequency

GDP Growth -3.2 :

Rate 0.6 % Jun/18 1 5.9 Quarterly

Unemployment 12.4 :

Rate 15.4 % Mar/18 15.5 18.9 Quarterly

-1.4 :

Inflation Rate 7.5 % Jul/18 7.8 16.7 Monthly

3.5 :

Interest Rate 6.75 % Jul/18 6.75 6.75 Daily

-1782 TNT -1782 : -

Balance of Trade Million Jul/18 -1540 40.3 Monthly

Government 39.2 :

Debt to GDP 69.2 % Dec/17 60.6 70.1 Yearly

[CITATION Trand \l 1033 ]

Political Intelligence

The Republic of Tunisia is a North African country with a unitary semi-

presidential democratic government. Before the 2011 Jasmine revolution, the

political system in Tunisia bordered on dictatorship especially during the reign of

President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. His rule was marred with instances of

violations of human rights and freedom as well as oppression of opposition

parties. The regime was overthrown in 2011. The existing constitution was

overthrown and a new one drafted by the Constituent Assembly. The government

of Tunisia maintains diplomatic relations with the US, Europe, and other countries

and is a member of regional and international bodies such as the Arab League,

the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the African Union.

Branches Of The Government Of Tunisia

The Tunisian government has three branches the executive, legislature,

and the judiciary. The president, prime minister, and the cabinet make up the

Tunisian executive. The president appoints both the prime minister and cabinet

members. The president is the head of state while the prime minister is the head

of government. The legislative branch consists of a 217-member Assembly of the

Representatives of the People, the vice and deputy vice president, and the

president. The judiciary follows the French civil law and some aspects of the

Muslim Sharia law. The president chairs the judicial council. Judges are

appointed by the presidential decree on the advice of the Supreme Judicial

Council. . [CITATION Wor181 \l 1033 ]

Armed Forces

Tunisia’s military is under-equipped and faces severe challenges due to

equipment that is outdated and in some cases obsolete. As such the country
relies heavily on donations of surplus military equipment, specifically from the

USA, France and Italy. In recent news during 2014 the USA announced it would

provide $60 million worth of equipment to the country in the fight against Islamist

militants, this includes night vision technology, helmets, shields along with naval

patrol boats.

Despite the equipment limitations the Tunisian military has proven

effective in managing domestic terrorism in the country. Islamic fundamentalism

is a threat in Tunisia and armed groups have targeted military outposts and

transport convoys.

The army has played a vital role in securing the country’s borders,

particularly with its bigger neighbour Libya where there is ongoing conflict. The

Tunisian navy has also actively patrolled the Mediterranean conducting search

and rescue operations and dealing with the flow of illegal migrants. [CITATION Ant13

\l 1033 ]

Transportation and Communications

Leveraging its geographic positioning at the centre of the Mediterranean,

Tunisia’s transport sector has been crucial for the country’s economic progress.

Well-connected shipping and air transport lines have proven essential to

developing the tourism sector and raising commercial trade levels in international

markets. Key industrial segments such as aeronautics, automotive components

and agro-industrial processing have been built on the premise of efficient

transport networks that interlink the country’s production base with international

value-chains, such as those in Europe.

 Land transportation remains critical for commercial exchanges between

Tunisia and neighbouring Libya and Algeria. According to 2016 data from the

World Bank, 11% of the country’s trade is done within the MENA region.

Additionally, international road links become increasingly busy over the summer

months with the added volume of Tunisian and foreign travelers within the

Maghreb region. [ CITATION Oxf181 \l 1033 ]

Substantial progress has been made in Tunisia’s telecommunications

sector but the economy would benefit from further reforms to improve

competitiveness and encourage investment according to World Bank experts.

This progress includes the approval of amendments to the

Communications law to increase the powers of instance national des

telecommunications. It also includes the introduction of a regulatory framework to

allow for access to the landing station of Bizerte and the approval to use

backbone fiber optic held by utilities including STEG and SNCFT. All of these

reforms will go a long way to help improve service and access to

telecommunications in Tunisia.  [ CITATION The13 \l 1033 ]

Science and Technology

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Taoufik Jelassi and

U.S. Ambassador Jake Walles signed an Agreement on Science and Technology

Cooperation in 2015 to strengthen bilateral scientific, technological and

educational cooperation.  To support further exchange in the domain of science

and technology pursuant to the new agreement, Ambassador Walles also

announced two new programs. The first is the new $4.75 million Fulbright Tunisia

Tech+ Scholars program that will send approximately 40 Tunisian graduate

students to the U.S. to obtain master’s degrees in science, technology and

business fields.  The second will make available $800,000 to establish three new

linkages between U.S. and Tunisian educational institutions in the fields of

technological innovation and business development.  The $5.5 million in funding

for the two new educational programs has been approved by the Department of

State and both programs will be officially launched following final approval from

the U.S. Congress. The signing of this agreement and the announcement of

these two new programs represent the joint commitment to promote close

cooperation between the two countries in science and technology and to foster

future research and economic innovation. [ CITATION Pub14 \l 1033 ]

Biographical Intelligence

Head of State and Government: Moncef Marzouki

Prime Minister: Habib Essid

Defence Minister: Farhat Hacheni

Chief of Staff: Brigadier General Ismail Fathalli

Chief of Staff of the Air Force: General Taïeb Lajimi

SWOT Analysis

Strength

 Broad economic and export base

 High development and western values foster strong ties with the west

Weaknesses

 Economic disparities and religious divide

 External imbalances

Opportunities
  Sustained agricultural and services growth

 Continued strengthening of tourism

 Economic growth is projected to expand modestly by 2.7% in 2018

Threats

 Weak growth in 2018

 Twin deficits and significant debt

 A democratic transition that is running out of steam

Tunisia’s security threats: Implication to the Philippines

Tunisia is currently facing internal security threats presented by the rise of

Islamic extremism in the country which has led to the emergence of radical

militant groups. The Philippines is not new to this matter. It is a challenge to both

countries maintaining its balance despite all the atrocities. The Philippines is

watchful and mindful about any terroristic acts happening around the world.

Terrorism is not only an internal issue but worldwide. It is gaining support and

assistance from radical groups just to create chaos and disturbance. There are

several countries that have been toppled by extremists and remained in limbo.

The Philippines should be alert about the methods and strategies of this group.

Also this country might as well build alliances with countries torn by civil wars in

order to gain ideas and help them.