Minister of Public Function, Governance and Anti-Corruption, Obaid al-Buraiki, criticized dropping a procedure that would lift bank secrecy from next year’s draft financial law by ruling coalition parties, hinting that this might deliver a negative message to investors. Mr. al-Buraiki, after your syndicate tenure, you are now a minister in charge of fighting corruption. Do […]

It is 7:00 am in Ibn Khaldoun Street in the center of Tunis. Incomprehensible sounds are coming from slightly cracked oen windows and clouds of cigarette smoke are wafting out. Passers-by might be think the sounds are coming from a crowded market until they enter the bar and discover another world. In Barcelona Bar, there […]

To avoid a long wait and a possible argument with a moody taxi driver, Reem a 34-year-old who works in the  sector, called a transportation company. When the car pulled up, she saw an unusual sign: “Beware! This taxi provides books.” After telling the driver her destination she noticed a sack full of books behind […]

The Tunisian parliament is set to discuss a draft budget that will freeze civil servants’ pay. The proposed austerity budget aimed at tackling the country’s ailing economy has been rejected by the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) that has threatened to react with labor strikes. The Tunisian parliament is set to discuss a draft budget […]

Tunisia’s 90-year-old president, Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi, does not appear to slow with age. Since his legislative and presidential election victories in 2014, Essebsi, the founder of Nidaa Tounes, has rather become number one player in the political arena. Tunisia’s 90-year-old president, Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi, does not appear to slow with age. Since his […]

The Tunisian shopkeeper gazes anxiously at his depleted cigarette shelves before turning his eyes towards the door. Rida, 35, is waiting for a visitor who has not come for days; his contraband cigarettes provider. He tries to call the man to know why he has not come. He was supposed to receive his goods days […]

A history of the conflict around Jemna In the governorate of Kebeli, 500 kilometres from the Tunisian capital, farmers occupy land they claim belongs to them. Led by the Association of the Defense of the Oasis of Jemna, they link the fate of their farm to the success of the 2011 revolution. The state meanwhile […]

Awatef, a pensioner who used to work in a bank, sits on her balcony overlooking the ocean. She sips tea and inhales the sea air in her new residence away from the urban stress of Tunis. Awatef, a pensioner who used to work in a bank, sits on her balcony overlooking the ocean. She sips […]

They can be rented for long periods or even by the hour, but any client needs to be aware that security forces raid many of the houses and arrest their visitors. The sex industry in Tunis is growing, with an increasing number of apartments, massage parlours, cafes and cinemas being converted into sex shops. They […]