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Transition in Tunisia
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USAID and Western Union include Libya and Tunisia in business plan competition! Read more, or submit application. Accepting applications through February 3, 2012 |
CONTACTS
Tunisia Country Coordinator
Shannon Darcy
Tel: 202-712-1785
E-mail: sdarcy@usaid.gov
The United States strongly supports the Tunisian people as they lay the foundation for a future of economic prosperity that empowers youth, strengthens civil society, and solidifies the foundation of democracy. After a month of youth-led protests fueled by socioeconomic pressures, corruption, and political repression, Tunisians toppled long-ruling President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, 2011—and thus sparked the region’s “Arab Spring” protest movements. Since then, Tunisians have charted their own political transition. In October 2011, Tunisia organized and administered what were widely hailed as free and fair multiparty elections for a Constituent Assembly (CA), which will draft a new constitution over the next year or more.
Since January 2011, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) together have provided over $55 million to Tunisia in support of the country’s transition. In the aftermath of Ben Ali’s ouster, USAID mobilized assistance responding to immediate humanitarian needs and the political transition. USAID is now working to support the country’s economic growth needs and potential.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
USAID is planning a major economic growth project in the high-growth information and communications technology (ICT) sector to support small and medium enterprise development, as well as skills training and job placement. Targeting marginalized regions of the country, USAID is planning several higher education partnerships between U.S. colleges and Tunisian technical/vocational training institutes; these partnerships will also engage local private sector companies to expand employment opportunities for institute graduates.
DEMOCRACY, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND GOVERNANCE
USAID has provided $10 million to strengthen participatory and inclusive political processes, support accountability in transitional justice/human rights, and encourage legal reforms for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). USAID is planning to provide another $5 million to strengthen post-election political participation. An additional $9 million is supporting citizen engagement in the transition process and is helping local NGOs to achieve more demonstrably equitable, responsive, and legitimate governance—especially in areas where the sense of marginalization and disenfranchisement may challenge a stable political transition.
HUMANITARIAN
In January 2011, USAID provided $50,000 to the Tunisian Red Crescent (TRC) to address the humanitarian needs of economically vulnerable Tunisians following unrest in the country. In March, USAID provided $90,000 to the TRC for emergency assistance and then relief commodities in response to the large-scale population outflows from Libya into Tunisia as a result of the Libyan conflict. USAID also provided $3 million through the UN World Food Program for food assistance benefiting Tunisian host communities, Libyans, and other displaced nationals.
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