Bavaria and Tunesia seek closer cooperation

Mohsen Seba, the Tunisian Consul, was present at the signing at the Bavarian State Chancellery. Minister Kooli and the Tunisian Ambassador Hanene Tajouri Bessassi were connected virtually.

The action plan, which is set to run until 2022, includes a wide range of measures. Bavaria and Tunisia will cooperate more closely in supporting democratic institutions, in decentralisation, vocational education and training, in tourism and in the economy, in universities, research and science, but also in issues relating to environmental protection and agriculture, internal security and justice, as well as health, young people and sport.

Huml: "It is important to us to stabilise the young democracy in Tunisia and to support the ongoing process of democratisation over the long term. Good, mutual relations are of great interest to us. We therefore want to engage fully in our cooperation with joint actions at a local level, and in particular develop professional prospects for local people."

Minister Kooli: "The cooperation with Bavaria can serve us as a model for cooperation with other countries. The new plan covers key issues which are important to us and demonstrates that our relations continue to develop, year to year."

The partnership between Bavaria and Tunisia has existed since 2012. In order to further intensify cooperation, a work programme establishing the priorities of the cooperation is prepared every three years. The current action plan is already the third. The signing was originally planned for autumn 2019 and had to be postponed due to Tunisia’s parliamentary and presidential elections and then finally due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, implementation of the agreed projects and measures has already begun.