Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...

U.S. assistance will be able to support economic development programs and
security reforms. However, youth members of the Ennahdha party warned that this
assistance should not be expected to influence Tunisian foreign policy in the region on
issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (SAIS Group Meeting, 27 January 2012).
The sentiment in Tunisia is that there is a difference between the U.S. technology and
training opportunities, that is appreciated, and U.S. foreign policy, that is often contested.
U.S. assistance in Tunisia will be more successful if it is able to play a behind-the-scenes
role instead of the lead element. U.S. assistance during the election was successful
because it was able to train Tunisian political actors such as “I Watch” volunteers who
were more publicly accepted in their role as observers than Western observers.
Assistance from USAID that visually displays their logo on seed bags have had their
markings removed by the time they reach the end user in Tunisia’s agricultural areas.
These are clear examples that the U.S. will be able to achieve its goal of fostering a
successful democratic transition, but remains inhibited in some of its efforts to improve
its image in the region.
Tunisia’s Alternatives to U.S. Assistance
The persistence of U.S. investment, in particular commercial investment is uncertain.
Therefore Tunisia has considered alternative benefactors to achieve its goals regarding
economic development. If the requests for assistance made to the U.S. to develop its
economic sectors, security and democratic transition are not met, they will be solicited in
the Maghreb and broader Middle East region. Tunisia has the option to solicit assistance
from other international organizations to include the European Union (EU), United
Nations Development Program and the African Development Bank. However, certain
technical training and large sums of financial assistance will not be easily obtained
without cooperation with the U.S.
The interim government has looked to Libya and other countries in the Maghreb
region to develop an economic union to hedge against the possibility of reductions in
future U.S. assistance to the country. Tunisian officials have frequently visited
neighboring Libya in an effort to revive the domestic economy through increased trade
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