French Prime Minister Jean Castex reaffirmed in a press statement after his meeting with President Kaïs Saïed Thursday at the Palace of Carthage France’s support to Tunisia.
Castex is currently visiting Tunisia, heading a large ministerial delegation, on the 3rd Franco-Tunisian High Council for Co-operation.
“This High Council aims to translate the momentum launched by our two presidents during President Saied’s working and friendship visit to France on June 22, 2020, he said.
«This momentum is based in particular on extremely concrete solidarity between the two countries, especially in the context of the pandemic that has significantly affected us,» he pointed out.
Jean Castex told President Saied that France intends to continue its support to the people and authorities of Tunisia. This support has been in place since the beginning of the health crisis, he said, stressing that three oxygen production units will be received on Thursday night, as promised by President Macron last May (during President Kais Saied’s visit).
He added: “I have specified to the President of the Republic our willingness to continue and expand this request for cooperation, especially in the hospital field.
We will also back “the essential efforts of the Tunisian authorities to conduct economic and structural reforms to exit the crisis.»
In this vein, he “confirmed to President Saied France’s full readiness to accompany Tunisia on this absolutely necessary and unavoidable path.
The High Council for Cooperation will bolster this support, through concrete projects, he insisted, indicating that he presented to President Saied the agreements to be signed with the Prime Minister and members of the respective governments Thursday.
In addition, Castex said that the meeting was an opportunity to review regional issues, especially Libya “which is an issue of great concern.
In this regard, he “thanked the Tunisian president for his efforts in favor of the political process and exit from the crisis” and for his “decisive” contribution to the Political Dialogue Forum that has paved the way for it, recalling that President Saied used the terms “inter-Libyan solution.
The meeting also discussed the preparation for the Francophonie Summit “to which our two countries are particularly attached”, scheduled for next November in Djerba.
The French Prime Minister reiterated to President Saied his country’s support to ensure this Summit to be a great success and even a highlight of the year 2021 “not only in the service of language, but also the values we share.»

Source: TAP News Agency