Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita congratulated his newly appointed Tunisian counterpart, Mohamed Ali Nafti, in a phone call on August 27, 2024.
According to a statement from Tunisia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Bourita lauded Nafti for earning the trust of Tunisia’s President, Kais Saied, resulting in his recent appointment.
During their conversation, both diplomats touched on the importance of the strong ties between Tunisia and Morocco and their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The news comes days after Saied’s recent cabinet reshuffle, which involved replacing 19 ministers and three state secretaries ahead of the October 6 presidential elections.
Nafti was a former diplomat who served in several Tunisian embassies and as secretary of state to the foreign ministry. The reshuffle also saw new appointments in the defense and prime ministerial roles, in what is widely seen as Saied’s attempt to address the country’s financial crisis, and public discontent ahead of the elections.
Tunisia has been grappling with a macroeconomic crisis since 2011, marked by large deficits, limited fiscal flexibility, and challenging negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In this election year, policymakers face high stakes: either a difficult economic adjustment that could trigger social and political unrest or the risk of an economic collapse without significant reform, argues think tank “Carnegie Endowment.”
Despite expectations in 2023 that Tunisia’s economy would rank high on the national agenda, an anticipated agreement with the IMF did not materialize.
Economic growth stalled, with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the second quarter of 2023 at 1.3%, and an estimated 0.6% growth for the entire year, the worst performance since 2011, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period.
The unfavorable agricultural season, exacerbated by adverse climatic conditions, led to a grain harvest 80% below the previous year’s levels. Although the tourism sector showed signs of recovery in 2023, it remained below pre-pandemic levels.