AU imposes sanctions on Tunisia over arrears in contributions
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The Tunisian minister of Foreign Affairs, Othman Jerandi, said here Wednesday the African Union(AU) had issued tough sanctions against Tunisia.
The sanctions include a ban on Tunisia to address meetings of the Pan-African organisation for a period of six months for not paying its contribution to the AU for this year.
The minister was speaking before the rights, freedom and foreign commission of Parliament during discussions on the draft budget of the ministry for 2021.
He said the arrears in dues owed by Tunisia was estimated at 18 million dinars (6.56 million dollars).
“We could not pay the contribution for this current year, seeing that the ministry of Finances did not pay to the foreign affairs department the required extra funds,” he told parliament, noting that the budget was totally incompatible with the programmes announced by the ministry.
Jerandi added that the budget was totally devoted to the running expenditure that would enable it to achieve the set programmes, including the completion of the accommodation of offices of the Tunisian diplomatic missions abroad.
-0- PANA BB/IS/MSA/RA 18Nov2020
