Francophonie Summit | Tunis wants to avoid a third postponement

(Ottawa) The Tunisian ambassador in Ottawa continues to work hard to avoid another postponement of the Francophonie Summit, an avenue that the Trudeau government is advocating.

Melanie Marquis
The Press

The political situation in Tunisia may not be looking good, and democracy, not “perfect”, but that does not justify postponing, for the third time in three years, the high mass of La Francophonie, pleads Mohamed Imed Torjemane.

“I continue to work with the valuable support of the Canadian government. I am in constant contact with them,” he said in an interview. Because yes, “things are happening next door”, he confirms.

What is happening behind the scenes is that three and a half months before the summit, the Trudeau government is maneuvering to convince its supporters of La Francophonie to give up on the Djerba summit in Tunisia.

The Canadian Prime Minister raised the issue privately with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, at the most recent G7 Summit in June. He considers that the unstable political situation is not an ideal backdrop for such a gathering.

Ambassador Torjemane does not deny this. “We are in a very complex phase of our history,” he said. That said, “Tunisia has chosen democracy. An irreversible choice, ”he decides, pressing each syllable of the last word.

In defense of Kais Saied

Originally, the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Summit was to take place in Tunis in 2020. It was postponed due to the pandemic, and relocated to the Tunisian island of Djerba.

The following year, rebelote. Barely a month before the opening, the Permanent Council of La Francophonie (CPF) opted for a new postponement, against the backdrop of pandemic and political unrest – President Kaïs Saïed had just seized vast powers.

He remains the man for the job, insists the head of mission from Tunis to Ottawa.

The diplomat flatly refuses to speculate on the consequences of another postponement. “That’s a hypothetical question. Everyone is free to think as they wish. We are keeping our sights set on the success of the summit,” he says.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly had a meeting with her Tunisian counterpart Othman Jerandi on Wednesday last week. She mentioned the importance of “restoring an elected and representative government as soon as possible,” according to one minutes.

It was an opportunity “to clarify a lot of things”, maintains the Tunisian ambassador, without wanting to elaborate further on this subject, but insisting on the fact that his country is “a founding member of the OIF”.

On the side of the organization, it is reported that the verdict has not yet fallen. “We are not in a position to respond to you at this stage, because it is the member states and governments that will decide on the subject,” noted a spokesperson.

The Francophonie Summit, if it does take place in Djerba on November 19 and 20, would be held about a month before the legislative elections, which could take place against a backdrop of tension.

Flatter in the direction of the hair

“La Francophonie cannot, for the moment, flatter Kaïs Saïed in the sense of the hair, because he really lacked tact in the transition. His authoritarianism is a reaction to a precedent, but is not the right way out, ”believes political scientist Sami Aoun.

The keystone, says the tenured professor at the School of Applied Politics at the University of Sherbrooke, is President Macron.

The two countries are the main donors of the organization based in Paris.

The Tunisian ambassador does not seem to want to give in. Again Thursday, he spoke with Chrystiane Roy, director of the Francophonie and the Commonwealth at Global Affairs Canada.

“Under review, the success of the Francophonie Summit to be held in Djerba in November 2022 and Canada’s participation in the various solemn and parallel events planned for the Summit,” reads the embassy’s Facebook wall. .

With the collaboration of Joël-Denis Bellavance, The Press