
It is within this context and at a key juncture in the country’s history that , and is preparing the New Strategic Partnership Framework for 2016-2020, in coordination with the government.
As the broad lines of the strategy cannot be developed without consultation with the Tunisian people, I decided to join my country team and go to meet the people of Tunisia to listen to their hopes and expectations. Our first stop was in the Zaghouan region. My meeting with members of civil society at the headquarters of the Zaghouan governorate was a very valuable experience. To have the privilege of engaging in dialogue with the residents of El Fahs, Bir M’Chergua and Hammem Zriba, was an unparalleled opportunity to help me better understand the constraints faced by the inhabitants of one of the most disadvantaged regions of Tunisia. Our discussions centered around one of the pillars of the new Strategic Partnership Framework. One of the .
Identifying ways to increase the social inclusion of young people is one of the cross-cutting axis of this pillar and one of the thematic areas particularly close to my heart. The incredible potential of vibrant and creative youth can only bring pride to a country whose history is rooted in antiquity. . Of all the things that they told me, one phrase still resonates: “Give us an opportunity to seize the initiative and act.” It is like a heartfelt cry to a system that for too long has relegated them to the sidelines of the development process. Other important messages were shared; on equality of opportunity, particularly for the youth, better education, access to job opportunities, and support for entrepreneurship, among many other demands expectations.
Tabulbah is a locality about an hour’s trip from Beja and was the second stop in our round of consultations. This village, located high in the mountains, has become known for its ancestral artistry in the distillation of essential oils. At the village distillery, we heard the stories of six women, whose testimonies serve as yet another lesson in the tenacity of the Tunisian people. With no support other than their own drive and initiative, these women are fighting to obtain organic certification so that they may market their products on a bigger scale, or even export them. .
I left Tunisia with a sense of conviction and hope for the country. While consultations continue for the preparation of the new Strategic Partnership Framework, the . Stories like those of the young people of Zaghouan and the women producing essential oils in Tabulbah will continue to light the way for our engagement with the people of Tunisia in their march toward the future.
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