The Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani, on behalf of President Kais Saied, on Saturday at the Government Palace in the Kasbah, approved draft laws and decrees of an economic, cultural, social, sports and political nature, including a draft law related to the approval of the 2023-2025 Development Plan. During the presentation of the draft law, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Feriel Ouerghi Sebai, pointed out that the 2023-2025 Development Plan aims to improve the development performance in order to increase the level of economic, social and environmental gains and to allow all groups and regions to benefit from the fruits of development, as well as to ensure the right of future generations. According to a statement issued by the Prime Ministry, the plan provides for development policies, programmes and projects that have been formulated in a participatory manner to ensure progress in restoring economic and financial stability and boosting the momentum of development in accordance w ith the desired objectives. The Three-Year Plan consists of a single, jointly drafted document covering the full range of horizontal, sectoral and regional policies. The strategic objectives of the plan are to increase the rate of economic growth and maintain purchasing power by controlling inflation, and to improve the management of water and energy resources. The Cabinet meeting also approved a draft decree on the implementation of the 13th General Census of Population and Housing, which defines the regulatory framework for the 2024 general census. It will be conducted in accordance with the decennial periodicity of population censuses. According to the presentation made by the Minister of Economy and Planning, this project is of great importance as it is the population statistical process and the main source for the production of accurate and detailed statistics on the population, housing and the specifics of the living conditions of families. The meeting approved a draft decree defining the system of renting certain works related to cultural and artistic activities and events at the Ministry of Culture and its affiliated institutions. Minister of Culture Hayet Ketat Guermazi said that the draft decree aims to update the activities and advisory committees in charge of studying files of a technical nature to cover the new activities and committees, in addition to updating the rental amounts for private services due to the ministry, which have not been updated since 1989. It also provides for the rental of activities related to various cultural and artistic fields, which have a specificity that distinguishes them from other activities. The meeting approved a draft decree related to the revision and completion of Government Decree No. 745 of 2017 dated June 9, 2017 on the establishment of some public institutions for cultural work and the definition of their scope, such as in the governorates of Jendouba, El Kef, Siliana, Manouba, Beja, Kasserine, Zaghouan, Sidi Bouzid, Tozeur, Kebili, Tataouine and Medeni ne. It also approved a draft decree on the creation of a management by objectives unit to implement the integrated agricultural development project in the south of Kasserine governorate and to define its organisation and working methods. Presenting the draft, Minister of Agriculture, Water and Fisheries, Abdelmonem Belati, stressed its importance in reducing regional inequalities and improving the living conditions and stability of the population by improving agricultural production, preserving natural resources and farmers' incomes and diversifying their sources. The draft decree includes water supply, improvement of infrastructure, valorisation of local agricultural products, development of alfa plantations and forests and combating desertification. It covers the southern delegations of Kasserine: Feriana, Majel Bel Abbes, Hassi Frid and Sbeitla. The meeting also approved a draft decree on the revision of Presidential Decree No. 677 of August 3, 2022 to adjust the lists of parts, components, accessories and materials used in the repair or maintenance or involved in the installation of agricultural machinery and fishing vessels and boats benefiting from VAT exemption when exported and manufactured locally, and the conditions and procedures for benefiting from this exemption. A draft decree regulating the conditions and procedures for the issuance of binding information in the article of tariff classification and in the article of origin was also approved. A second draft decree on the creation of a management by objectives unit at the Ministry of Communication Technologies was also approved. It provides for the implementation of a project to develop the management of the state budget and to define its organisation and working methods. A draft decree on the creation of a management by objectives unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad has been approved by the Cabinet. It provides for the implementation and follow-up of the project to develop the management of the state budget a nd to define its organisation and working methods. The meeting also approved two draft decrees relating to the creation of two units for management by objectives at the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, in order to implement a project to develop the management of the State budget and define its organisation and methods of operation. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
Medina of Lights 2024: Multifaceted journey in tracks of monuments and memorials steeped in history
Following the success of the two previous editions, with over 5,000 people attending each evening during the first edition, Medina of Lights is back for a 3rd season to bring to life, during the month of Ramadan, this not-to-be-missed destination rich in monuments and memorials steeped in history. With a programme of sound and light attractions, presented online in a promotional video, it's a multi-faceted and exciting journey that offers a Ramadan night of illuminations of several buildings in the Medina of Tunis, starting with a video-mapping of the Bab Bhar gateway, visitors can follow a variety of routes through the cultural and historical monuments of the Medina, enjoying a variety of artistic performances, exhibitions of handicrafts, workshops with artisans and tastings of culinary delights specially prepared for this unique occasion. The event will be organised by the Ministry of Tourism and the National Office of Tunisian Tourism (ONTT) in partnership with the municipality of Tunis and GIZ, as part of the Promotion of Sustainable Tourism project and the Tounes Wijhetouna programme, jointly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU). Medina of Lights seeks to showcase the medina of Tunis and promote this historic heart of the capital, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, as a tourist destination, thereby enabling the general public to discover its little-known or unknown cultural treasures during Ramadan. By bringing together players from the private, public and voluntary sectors, this initiative aims to show the synergies that can be achieved by involving all the stakeholders who are keen to bring the Medina of Tunis back to life. It also aims to boost the economy by increasing the number of visitors and consumers of the products and services offered in the Medina. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
Kasserine: Large-scale acts of vandalism on railway line 6
The governor of Kasserine, Ridha Rokbani, deplored the large-scale acts of vandalism carried out recently on the railway line 6 linking Talabat to Feriana. Speaking to TAP on Friday, he said that «the perpetrators of these crimes will be be soon identified and will be prosecuted.» He indicated that a project to rehabilitate railways in the governorate of Kasserine is being carried out, the first stage of which concerns the reactivation of lines 6 and 11 linking Kasserine and Sousse, as well as line 15 ensuring the connection between Kasserine, Majel Bel Abbès and Gafsa. The local governor went to the scene of the the scene of the events, at the section linking KalaSt Khasba and Kasserine, which extends over a distance of 85 km. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
Fallouts from cyberviolence more serious than real-world violence ( sociologist)
Fallouts from cyberviolence are more serious than those of real-world violence as it is more difficult to identify perpetrators, researcher in sociology Sami Nasr Saturday told TAP on the sidelines of an awareness raising day in Tunis. The event was organised by the Tunis Science City, in partnership with the Specialised Arab Women Association, on the theme: " the Protection of Women and Girls against Digital Violence." Attackers use the digital space to escape prosecution considering the difficulty of establishing their identity. Cyber attacks on women are an extension of real world violence, Nasr said. "In Tunisia, there is a culture of violence internalised by most of individuals in the society in all age brackets and social strata. This can be seen in the use of specific and violent vocabulary." There is need to share responsbility in handling violence by means of enhancing the role of local institutions (family, schools, cultural centres, youth centres, clubs), fostering an utter rejection of violen ce and devising a national strategy to fight violence. lawyer at the court of cassation Nadia Chaouachi said there is already a substantial body of legislation in Tunisia which supports women's rights. Reducing violence, though, requires mainly accepting women as active partners, seeking new mechanisms of prevention and raising the number of judges. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
CGTT holds cultural and entertainment event to mark International Women’s Day
The Working Women's Committee of the Tunisian General Confederation of Labour (CGTT), in partnership with the "Mouwatina" mutual insurance company, on Saturday, held a cultural and entertainment event attended by a large number of CGTT members and trade union and feminist personalities. Held at the Confederation's headquarters in Tunis on International Women's Day, which is celebrated every year on 8 March, the day's programme included musical performances and poetry in honour of women in Tunisia and the Arab world for their fight for their legitimate rights. The meeting was an opportunity to recall the reality of Palestinian women in Gaza and the hardships they face. The event was marked by the launch of a campaign to collect medicines for a number of needy people in Tunisia. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse