Chad – Tunisia: quiet please, business is on…

Tunisian President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki spent two days in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, for the Chad-Tunisia Economic Mission held on 23 and 24 June 2014, at the invitation of his counterpart, President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad.

He led a large delegation of officials and business people. The Tunisian head of state and his delegation were welcomed at N’Djamena’s Hassan Djamous airport by the Chadian president, surrounded by all the institutions of state. On this occasion, Presidents Idriss Deby Itno and Moncef Marzouki held talks on bilateral cooperation as well as on the African and international situation.

Politics in Africa and the world

Turning to the political situation in Africa and the world, the two African leaders expressed their deep concern over the hostilities in Mali, and called on all parties to engage in frank and constructive dialogue to preserve Mali’s unity and territorial integrity, with respect for the identities of all its communities.

They also voiced concern at the steadily deteriorating situation in Libya, and urged the various political and social forces to begin, as a matter of urgency, a process towards a political settlement of the conflict — in their view the only way to preserve Libya’s peace and unity. As Libya’s neighbours, Chad and Tunisia said they were ready to support any initiative likely to restore peace and harmony in the country.

During his stay, the Tunisian president praised the sacrifices made by Chad for peace and stability in Mali and in the Central African Republic (CAR). With crises across the continent and in several regions of the world, the two heads of state urged the leaders of countries in crisis to favour dialogue, so as to spare their nations the grave human and material consequences of conflict.

On the international crises of the day, the two heads of state welcomed the intra-Palestinian reconciliation and expressed deep concern at Israel’s intransigence and procrastination in its negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. They called on the international community to press Israel to halt its settlement policy in the Palestinian territories and to enter into talks with the Palestinian Authority with a view to a peace agreement.

On international terrorism, of which Africa is increasingly a victim — as in Nigeria and Somalia — the two heads of state strongly condemned the phenomenon and welcomed the mobilisation of states and the international community to eradicate it. They praised the growing role of the United Nations in promoting democracy and human rights worldwide, and expressed their shared will to contribute actively to the actions decided by the UN to preserve peace and security in every country.

Leaving the Chadian capital on 24 June, President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki expressed his deep gratitude to his brother and friend, President Idriss Deby Itno, to his government and to the Chadian people for the warm and fraternal welcome extended to him and to his delegation.