Friday, May 04, 2012
Gulf News
Abu Dhabi The UAE yesterday congratulated post-revolution Tunisia’s moderate Islamist policy, which sends a “message of hope” for other Arab Spring countries.
“We congratulate our brothers in Tunisia for common political accord that followed a difficult and painful transition. But no doubt Tunisia’s harmonious politics sends a message of hope to other Arab Spring sisterly countries that there is a different political course,” Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan told a news conference with his Tunisian counterpart in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Of all the Arab Spring states, Tunisia may have been the best positioned for a successful transition to a liberal democracy, with its relatively small, homogenous population of about 12 million, comparatively high levels of education, a moderate Islamist movement and a long history of a unified national identity.
In the country’s first free election, millions of Tunisians cast votes in October 2011 for an assembly to draft a constitution and shape a new government, in a burst of pride and hope that after inspiring uprisings across the Arab world, their small country could now lead the way to democracy.
Occupied islands
Shaikh Abdullah praised Tunisia’s support to the UAE over its dispute with Iran over the three occupied islands of Abu Mousa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs, during the recent Arab League’s ministerial meetings.
Shaikh Abdullah said despite the political unrest Tunisia endured, trade between the two countries was growing. The volume of trade between the two countries was put at $200 million annually. “There are huge opportunities to boost Emirati investments in Tunisia, which stand at $2.5 billion,” Shaikh Abdullah said.
Shaikh Abdullah added the two countries agreed to cooperate in scientific research in agricultural, environmental and renewable energy sectors.
Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafiq Abdul Salam said the UAE offered $200 million in assistance to the health sector in Tunisia.
He added post-revolutionary Tunisia has an attractive atmosphere for investment as it achieved economic growth of 2.5 per cent last year.
The moderate Islamist party Al Nahda emerged the winner with a 41 per cent plurality. The party, which was banned for decades, tried to reassure secularists by saying it would respect women’s rights and not try to impose a Muslim moral code on society.
By Samir Salama?Associate Editor
Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
