Poland–Tunisia relations

File:PFT Spitfire MK9 ZX6.jpegs of the Polish Fighting Team at Goubrine Airfield in 1943]]

An honorary consulate of Poland was established in Tunis in 1932, and elevated to a consulate in 1943, however, it was closed in 1945.{{cite book|last1=Ceranka|first1=Paweł|last2=Szczepanik|first2=Krzysztof|year=2020|title=Urzędy konsularne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 1918–1945. Informator archiwalny|language=pl|location=Warszawa|publisher=Naczelna Dyrekcja Archiwów Państwowych, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych|page=403|isbn=978-83-65681-93-5}}

Polish and French-led Tunisian troops both fought against Nazi Germany in World War II. Tunisian prisoners of war were held by the Germans alike Polish and other Allied POWs in the Stalag II-B and Stalag II-D POW camps, located in Czarne and Stargard, respectively.{{cite journal|last=Aniszewska|first=Jolanta|year=2011|title=W obowiązku pamięci... Stalag II D i formy upamiętnienia jeńców wojennych w Stargardzie Szczecińskim|journal=Łambinowicki rocznik muzealny|location=Opole|language=pl|volume=34|page=16|issn=0137-5199}}{{cite book|last1=Megargee|first1=Geoffrey P.|last2=Overmans|first2=Rüdiger|last3=Vogt|first3=Wolfgang|year=2022|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|page=394|isbn=978-0-253-06089-1}} Both Polish and Tunisian POWs were subjected to poor treatment by the Germans, who regarded them as "racially inferior".Aniszewska, p. 14 The Polish Fighting Team fought against Germany in Tunisia in 1943. Poles and Tunisians were part of the large Allied coalition in the Battle of Monte Cassino of 1944.

Poland recognized Tunisia in 1956, shortly after the Tunisian declaration of independence. Bilateral relations were established in 1959. A cultural cooperation agreement between Poland and Tunisia was signed in Tunis in 1966.{{Cite Polish law|title=Umowa o współpracy kulturalnej między Rządem Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej a Rządem Republiki Tunezyjskiej, podpisana w Tunisie dnia 27 kwietnia 1966 r.|year=1967|volume=35|number=173}}

Future Tunisian President and dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was an ambassador of Tunisia to Poland from 1980 to 1984.{{cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/articles/Zine-el-Abidine-Ben-Ali-39445|title=Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali Biography|website=Biography.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105023440/http://www.biography.com/articles/Zine-el-Abidine-Ben-Ali-39445|access-date=11 December 2023|archive-date=5 November 2010}}

In 1993, a double tax avoidance agreement was signed between the two countries in Tunis.{{Cite Polish law|title=Konwencja między Rządem Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej a Rządem Republiki Tunezyjskiej w sprawie unikania podwójnego opodatkowania w zakresie podatków od dochodu, sporządzona w Tunisie dnia 29 marca 1993 r.|year=1994|volume=78|number=357}}

In 2000, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali paid an official visit to Poland.{{cite web|url=https://www.president.pl/archive/news-archive-2000-2010/news-2000/state-visit-of-the-president-of-the-republic-of-tunisia-mr-zine-el-abidine-ben-ali,38215|title=State visit of the President of the Republic of Tunisia, Mr Zine El Abidine Ben Ali|website=President.pl|date=28 March 2000|access-date=11 December 2023}}

Following the Tunisian Revolution of 2010–2011, Tunisia sought Poland's help in democratizing the country and dealing with the ousted dictatorship. The first study visit of Tunisian officials and NGOs to Poland took place in 2012. Further such Polish-Tunisian meetings were held in the following years, and in 2013, Łukasz Kamiński, President of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) visited Tunis and participated in a seminar regarding Polish experience in transitional justice.{{cite web|url=https://ipn.gov.pl/en/news/667,Visit-of-the-President-of-the-Institute-of-National-Remembrance-in-Tunis-24-25-J.html|title=Visit of the President of the Institute of National Remembrance in Tunis, 24-25 June 2013|website=Institute of National Remembrance|date=1 July 2013|access-date=11 December 2023}} Polish experts assisted Tunisians in drafting of the act on transitional justice. In 2014, the President of the IPN was present at the inauguration of Tunisia's Truth and Dignity Commission in Tunis.{{cite web|url=https://ipn.gov.pl/en/news/721,President-of-the-IPN-at-the-inauguration-of-Tunisias-Truth-and-Dignity-Commissio.html|title=President of the IPN at the inauguration of Tunisia's Truth and Dignity Commission - Tunis, 9 June 2014|website=Institute of National Remembrance|date=10 June 2014|access-date=11 December 2023}}

Three Polish nationals were killed in the 2015 Bardo National Museum attack in Tunis.

In October 2021, Poland donated some four tons of medical equipment and supplies, including ventilators and pulse oximeters, to Tunisia to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/tunezja/polska-pomoc-dla-tunezji-w-zwiazku-z-pandemia-covid--19|title=Polska pomoc dla Tunezji w związku z pandemią COVID -19|date=26 October 2021|website=Portal Gov.pl|access-date=11 December 2023|language=pl}}

{{multiple image |align=right |caption_align=center |total_width=360

|image1=Ambasada Tunezji w Warszawie.jpg

|image2=Kamienica pod adresem ulica Warszawska 6 w Toruniu.jpg

|caption1=Embassy of Tunisia in Warsaw

|caption2=Honorary Consulate of Tunisia in Toruń

}}

• Poland has an embassy in Tunis and an honorary consulate in Sousse.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.pl/web/tunezja/konsulaty-honorowe|title=Konsulaty honorowe|website=Portal Gov.pl|access-date=11 December 2023|language=pl}}
• Tunisia has an embassy in Warsaw and an honorary consulate in Toruń.

==See also==

• Foreign relations of Poland
• Foreign relations of Tunisia

{{Reflist}}

{{Foreign relations of Poland}}

{{Foreign relations of Tunisia}}

{{Portal bar|Politics|Poland}}

Tunisia

Category:Bilateral relations of Tunisia