The Quai d’Orsay spokeswoman answered Anadolu’s questions.
France announced on Tuesday the extension of the “Erasmus +” plan between Tunisia and the European Union.
In response to a question from Anadolu, during her weekly press briefing, the Spokesperson for French Diplomacy Anne-Claire Legendre recalled the “very important visit” of the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, who went to Tunis on June 12 “to announce a package of support for Tunisia that France and our authorities have helped to develop”.
Anne-Claire Legendre indicated that this is a support package which breaks down into different points, including migration issues, but which also mentions economic development and investment, energy, migration and exchanges, contacts between populations, with in particular the implementation of an “Erasmus +” plan between Tunisia and the European Union.
“These announcements are the result of important work that France has carried out with its European partners to come to the aid of Tunisia in this period of socio-economic crisis affecting Tunisia, and therefore they are the subject of regular monitoring. ,” added the spokesperson for French Diplomacy.
Anne-Claire Legendre also recalled that the French Minister for Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna had had the opportunity to speak with the Tunisian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nabil Ammar, during his visit to Paris on May 30.
The spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay specified “that this follow-up will be continued within the framework of European deadlines and in particular the Council of Association between the European Union and Tunisia, which will have to be held before the end of the year. 2023”.
As a reminder, the Tunisian Presidency announced, this Sunday, in a brief statement on social networks, “the meeting of the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, with the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, the Italian Prime Minister , Georgia Meloni, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte,” sharing several photos from their interview.
The European delegation arrived in Tunisia on Sunday to discuss “bilateral relations between the European Union and Tunisia as well as issues relating to economic cooperation, energy and migration”.
This recent visit to Tunisia is the second in a week for the Italian Prime Minister, who met on June 6 with the Tunisian President on the issue of migration and economic cooperation.
Tunisia is going through a serious economic crisis, exacerbated by the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the high cost of imports of energy and basic materials.
As a reminder, the Erasmus+ Tunisia National Office organized, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, the inauguration ceremony of its new premises, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS), the Delegation of European Union in Tunisia (DUE) and the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research (ANPR).
Tunisia has been participating in the Erasmus+ program since 2014. This aims in particular to promote educational exchanges as well as the development of higher education and exchanges between young people from European Union countries and countries outside the bloc. The program has expanded from 2021 and now includes vocational training.
