U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Tunisia for economic and security talks to show support for the North African nation’s fledgling democracy.
Kerry arrived in Tunis on Friday to open a strategic dialogue with officials who are trying to consolidate democratic gains made since the 2011 Arab Spring. Tunisia was the first of the Arab countries to topple its authoritarian leader and is the only one to have made significant democratic progress since.
Despite that, Tunisia faces major economic and security challenges, notably after two large terrorist attacks this year — on the National Bardo Museum in Tunis in March and the Sousse beach resort in June — severely damaged its tourism sector. Tunisia depends on tourism for about 20 percent of its economic output and officials say it will take two or three years to recover.
Tunisia has already received $700 million in US assistance since 2011 and is now seeking a $500 million loan guarantee. U.S. officials say negotiations on the request will begin soon.
In addition to meeting senior Tunisian officials, Kerry will also see members of the National Dialogue Quartet, which won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for negotiations that carried the country through a constitutional crisis.
(AP)
