Celebrating French-Tunisian Cooperation on Bastille Day
At the Bastille Day celebration held at Dar Kamila in La Marsa, the residence of French Ambassador to Tunisia Anne Guéguen, the ambassador emphasized the strong cooperative relationship between the two nations.
A Year of Significant Meetings and Agreements
Over the past year, high-level meetings between French and Tunisian officials have taken place, fostering dialogue on various topics. The visit of the Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD) led to the signing of partnership agreements worth €138 million, directly benefiting hundreds of thousands of Tunisians.
Economic Cooperation: A Strong Partnership
Guéguen highlighted that 1,500 French-partnered companies employ over 160,000 people in Tunisia. The opening of the Transavia Paris-Tozeur-Paris air route is a positive sign for tourism, with the number of French visitors to Tunisia expected to double by the end of the decade. In fact, the milestone of one million French visitors was reached last year.
Beyond Economics: University, Scientific, and Cultural Cooperation
Guéguen revealed that €2.5 million has been allocated to university and scientific cooperation, including €1 million in scholarships for Tunisian students. She stated, "This cooperation translates into concrete actions with universities, French departments, higher institutes of art and trade, engineering schools, and more."
Environmental Cooperation: A Shared Commitment
The ambassador noted Tunisia's potential to become a hub for green hydrogen production, ensuring energy sovereignty. She also highlighted France's efforts to support Tunisia in water management and the development of wind and solar energy. In this context, the agreement signed with TotalEnergies for a large-scale green hydrogen project was mentioned.
Cultural Cooperation: Preserving Heritage and Supporting Creativity
Guéguen emphasized that France contributes to the preservation of Tunisia's exceptional archaeological heritage and allocates €3 million to professionalize cultural creators and entrepreneurs.
Addressing the Gaza Conflict
The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza, acknowledging its significance to the Tunisian people. Guéguen affirmed that protecting civilians is an absolute imperative and that France supports Palestine's admission as a full member state of the United Nations.
By celebrating Bastille Day, the French and Tunisian communities came together to reinforce their strong cooperative relationship, built on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to economic, scientific, cultural, and environmental development.
