Musings From Abroad

Tunisia begins process to appoint ambassador to Syria as diplomatic row eases

Published

2 years ago

April 4, 2023

The presidency in Tunisia has ordered its foreign affairs minister to initiate procedures that would appoint a new ambassador in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

President Kais Saied made the pronouncement on Monday in the latest Arab move to end Syria’s regional isolation.

The announcement was in line with a comment in March in a video posted on Facebook, where he told foreign minister Nabil Ammar during a meeting, “a decision must be taken on this issue.”

Tunisia expelled Syria’s ambassador in 2012 over the bloody repression of opponents of Syrian regime leader Bashar Al Assad at the outset of the country’s civil war. The diplomatic rupture, undertaken when former president Moncef Marzouki was still in office, was strongly criticised by the opposition at the time.

In 2017, Tunisia reinstituted a limited diplomatic mission to Syria to help track more than 3,000 Tunisian militants fighting in Syria.

Tunisia has sent signals that it could change its diplomatic stance with Syria since Saied took over control of almost all powers in July 2021.

By pressuring for foreign aid to be delivered through his territory as it aims to chip away at its international isolation, Syria’s Assad took advantage of an earthquake last month that struck Syria and Turkey to seek international support.

Related Topics:Featured President Saied Syria Tunisia

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Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

2 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

2 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.