Newsletter No. 25
June 25, 2005

 

TUNISIAN PRIME MINISTER GHANNOUCHI IN JAPAN

The press has almost completely ignored the story, but Prime Minister Muhammad Ghannouchi of Tunisia has been visiting Japan this week. One purpose of the trip was to attend Tunisia’s national day at the Aichi Expo on the 23rd. The theme of the national pavilion is “Tunisia: Peace and Sustainable Development.” On the 22nd, Ghannouchi visited the Kantei and met with Prime Minister Koizumi.

Photo: Ghannouchi and Koizumi
Source: Kantei

Tunisia has long expressed support for Japan on the UNSC issue. That support was reaffirmed at the meeting. Also, Japan has just agreed to extend loans to Tunisia of over US $900 million for the development of the Borj-Cedria Techno-Park and to expand solar energy services to rural areas in Tunisia.

Japan maintains a large trade advantage with regard to Tunisia, exporting machinery and automobiles. In return, Tunisia sends only seafood and pulp to Japan. However, political relations are very good. Next June, Japan and Tunisia will celebrate fifty years of diplomatic relations.

The current Tunisian ambassador in Japan, Salah Hannachi, is the Dean of the Arab diplomatic community in Japan, and is very active. On June 14th he led a delegation of Arab ambassadors to meet with Koizumi wearing casual and traditional outfits. This was a gesture meant to express support for the “Coolbiz” campaign in Japan in which workers are now being encouraged to dress more casually to cut down on air-conditioner usage, and thus to help protect the environment. Prime Minister Ghannouchi observed this campaign as well by not wearing a necktie during his meeting with Koizumi.