Qatar–Tunisia relations

File:Ambassade du Qatar en Tunisie, 2019.jpg

Qatar maintains an embassy in Tunis.{{cite web|url=https://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy9329/|title=Qatari Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia|website=embassypages.com|access-date=8 September 2017}}

Tunisia has an embassy in Doha.{{cite web|url=https://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy19628/|title=Tunisian Embassy in Doha, Qatar|website=embassypages.com|access-date=8 September 2017}}

In June 2017, during the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis, Qatar's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, met with Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi to discuss international matters of interest.{{cite web|url=http://www.qatar-tribune.com/Latest-News/tunisian-president-meets-state-minister-for-foreign-affairs|title=Tunisian President Meets State Minister for Foreign Affairs|publisher=Qatar Tribune|date=16 June 2017|access-date=8 September 2017}}

During the reign of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali as President of Tunisia, Qatar's media network Al Jazeera often denounced his actions, and its editorial line embraced the Tunisian Revolution, which led to his ouster in 2011.

Relations between Qatar and Tunisia improved immensely between 2011 and 2013, when Ennahda Movement-affiliated candidate Hamadi Jebali was declared Prime Minister of Tunisia in the 2011 Tunisian Constituent Assembly elections. Cooperation in all fields gradually started picking up traction; for instance, the two governments signed ten bilateral agreements in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://carnegieendowment.org/sada/67703|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129033834/http://carnegieendowment.org/sada/67703|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2017|title=Tunisia's Fledgling Gulf Relations|publisher=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|author=Youssef Cherif|date=17 January 2017|access-date=8 September 2017}}

When Ennahda relinquished power in 2014, Qatar continued supporting Tunisia's government in the form of financial aid and loans. Qatar also cast Tunisia in a positive light through two of its most influential news organizations, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and Al Jazeera.

Qatar's ambassador to Tunisia paid $2.2 million for Tunisia to host an international investment conference in November 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilboursa.com/marches/tunisia-2020-le-qatar-prend-en-charge-les-frais-d-organisation-de-la-conference-pour-2-4-millions-d-euros_10486|title=Tunisia 2020 : Le Qatar prend en charge les frais d'organisation de la Conférence pour 2,4 millions d'euros|publisher=ilBoursa|language=fr|date=30 November 2016|access-date=8 September 2017}} Moreover, during the conference, Qatar pledged $1.25 billion in aid to Tunisia in an effort to help improve its economy.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tunisia-economy-qatar/qatar-to-give-1-25-billion-of-aid-to-tunisia-emir-idUSKBN13O0Z5|title=Qatar to give $1.25 billion of aid to Tunisia: Emir|publisher=Reuters|date=29 November 2016|access-date=8 September 2017}}

The Qatar-Tunisia Joint Higher Committee was formed to deliberate over issues of mutual interest.{{cite web|url=http://www.gulf-times.com/story/493708/Essebsi-hails-historic-Tunisian-Qatari-relations|title=Essebsi hails 'historic' Tunisian-Qatari relations|publisher=Gulf Times|date=17 May 2016|access-date=8 September 2017}}

{{Main|2017 Qatari diplomatic crisis}}

On 5 June 2017, a number of states led by Saudi Arabia cut ties with Qatar. Tunisia adopted a neutral stance on this issue, calling for the parties to negotiate a solution to the dispute.{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/en/originals/2017/06/tunisia-neutral-position-gulf-qatar-crisis.html|title=Tunisia can only afford neutrality in Qatar crisis|publisher=Al Monitor|author=Mohamed Ali Litfi|date=29 June 2017|access-date=8 September 2017}}

Moncef Marzouki, president of Tunisia from 2011 to 2014, supported Qatar's position against the blockading countries.{{cite web|url=http://www.radiomfm.tn/%D9%85%D9%88%D9%82%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B5%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B2%D9%88%D9%82%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85/2017/06/05/12134/|title=موقف المنصف المرزوقي من قطع العلاقات مع قطر من قبل عدد من الدّول|publisher=MFM Radio|language=ar|date=6 May 2017|access-date=9 September 2017}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Qatar is among the largest Arab investors in Tunisia.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/09/07/everyone-is-taking-sides-in-the-qatar-crisis-heres-why-these-four-north-african-states-arent/|title=Everyone is taking sides in the Qatar crisis. Here's why these four North African states aren't.|work=The Washington Post|author=Youssef Cherif|date=7 September 2017|access-date=8 September 2017}} In 1982, the Tunisian-Qatari Investment Bank was formed. By the end of 1983, it was reported that the bank had invested the equivalent of $20 million into the Tunisian economy, and had a total capital of DT 70 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.raya.com/2023/02/25/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%84%d9%88%d9%84-%d8%b5%d9%81%d8%ad%d8%a9-%d8%a3%d8%b3%d8%a8%d9%88%d8%b9%d9%8a%d9%91%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1-%d9%83%d9%84-%d8%b3%d8%a8%d8%aa-%d9%88-4/|title=20 مليون دولار مساهمات البنك القطري التونسي بالتنمية|publisher=Al Raya|language=Arabic|date=23 April 1985|accessdate=10 June 2024}}

Qatar's investments in Tunisia in 2015 exceeded QR 4 billion, making it Tunisia's most important Arab partner and second-most important global partner in terms of foreign direct investment.{{cite web|url=http://www.gulf-times.com/story/558596/Qatari-investments-in-Tunisia-crossed-QR4bn-in-201|title=Qatari investments in Tunisia crossed QR4bn in 2015, says official|publisher=Gulf Times|date=1 August 2017|access-date=8 September 2017}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar provided urgent medical assistance to Tunisia in July 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-09 |title=Tunisia: Medical Aid to Tunisia - Qatari Ambassador to Tunisia |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202107090409.html |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=allAfrica.com |language=en}} Qatar delivered respirators, ventilators and a fully-equipped field hospital with a capacity of 200 beds.{{Cite news |date=2021-07-16 |title=Europe sends aid to help Tunisia counter COVID surge |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europe-sends-aid-help-tunisia-counter-covid-surge-2021-07-16/ |access-date=2022-03-16}}{{Cite web |title=Tunisian Prime Minister Praises Qatar's Support for Tunisia in Addressing COVID-19 Pandemic |url=https://www.mofa.gov.qa/en/all-mofa-news/details/1442/11/29/tunisian-prime-minister-praises-qatar%27s-support-for-tunisia-in-addressing-covid-19-pandemic |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=www.mofa.gov.qa}}

==See also==

• Foreign relations of Qatar
• Foreign relations of Tunisia

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{{Foreign relations of Qatar}}

{{Foreign relations of Tunisia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qatar-Tunisia relations}}

Tunisia

Qatar