Tunis: President of the Republic Kas Saed chaired a meeting Monday at the Carthage Palace with Premier Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri, Environment Minister Habib Abid, Minister of Cultural Affairs Amina Srarfi, Director General of the Agency for the Development of Heritage and Cultural Promotion (AMVPPC) Rabiaa Belfkira, and acting director of the Coastal Protection and Management Agency (APAL) Mehdi Belhaj. The focus was on addressing pollution and environmental degradation observed during his recent visit to Rad¨s.

According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the Presidency issued a press release stating that the President emphasized the importance of the polluter-pays principle, as outlined in Principle 16 of the Rio Declaration from the 1992 Earth Summit. He reiterated that every polluter must assume full responsibility for their actions. The President also referenced Article 47 of the Tunisian Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to a healthy and balanced environment and mandates that the state provide necessary means to combat environmental pollution.

The President expressed dissatisfaction with APAL's performance, highlighting its failure to fulfill its mission across various coastal regions. He called for more proactive interventions and the implementation of development plans aimed at preserving and protecting the coastline to meet citizens' expectations for a clean environment.

Furthermore, the President underscored the importance of the AMVPPC in safeguarding archaeological sites. He cited the example of vestiges found on the banks of wadi Miliane, which have been misused as a landfill. This situation, he stressed, is indicative of broader issues concerning the protection and preservation of Tunisia's cultural heritage, likening it to the looting of the nation's assets.