Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...
Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...
Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
order to receive these funds over other potential recipients. To be competitive, these<br />
recipients will need to take action and provide assurance that foreign assistance will not<br />
create dependencies.<br />
Reception <strong>of</strong> U.S. Assistance in <strong>Tunisia</strong><br />
Large portions <strong>of</strong> the educated youth in <strong>Tunisia</strong>, <strong>of</strong> which 23% are unemployed, have<br />
expressed resounding support for U.S. assistance (The Economist, 16 July-22 July 2011,<br />
52). This sector <strong>of</strong> the population has been soliciting U.S. assistance programs such as the<br />
MCC and MEPI to secure a favorable proportion <strong>of</strong> the $2.6 million grants that have been<br />
proposed for <strong>2012</strong> 38 . This assistance is not only perceived as providing employment to<br />
the highly active portion <strong>of</strong> the population, but also as focused on establishing sustainable<br />
development. The tourism sector that saw high losses in customers following the<br />
revolution has also been graciously accepting U.S. assistance to regain <strong>Tunisia</strong>’s image as<br />
a desirable vacation destination.<br />
Ms. Arfaoui also commented that <strong>Tunisia</strong>ns understand that in order to ensure the<br />
sustainability <strong>of</strong> the new democracy, foreigners with expertise in democracy will be<br />
instrumental (SAIS Group Meeting, 23 January <strong>2012</strong>). The initial sessions <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Constituent Assembly shown on television highlighted the fact that the assembly is still<br />
working to build public consensus on key issues including shari’a law. However, in<br />
contrast to the transition currently taking place in Egypt, the <strong>Tunisia</strong>n transition is<br />
proving to be far more successful. <strong>Tunisia</strong>’s more peaceful protests <strong>of</strong> the current<br />
Constituent Assembly demonstrate the fruits <strong>of</strong> a successful democratic transition and not<br />
security oppression. <strong>Tunisia</strong>ns do believe that their democratic transition has the potential<br />
to be implemented even more efficiently and in a timelier manner than what is currently<br />
taking place. It is this belief that is contributing to <strong>Tunisia</strong>n’s desire to look to the U.S.<br />
for assistance in the future regarding the drafting <strong>of</strong> the constitution. <strong>Tunisia</strong>ns in general<br />
are willing to accept assistance from foreign experts in the creation <strong>of</strong> their democratic<br />
institutions, because it will enable their system to reach its desired optimal potential.<br />
38 Taylor, Bill. U.S. Embassy-Tunis Public Affairs Section. Personal interview. 27 January <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
203