France Continues to Help Tunisia and Libya

France is moving to help the democracy movements in North Africa.

Today, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé was in Tunis to meet with the Interim Prime Minister Essebsi. Juppé told the press that it was a very important visit, because the friendship between Tunisia and France is old and enduring. He said that he hoped the difficulties that occurred by France’s slow reaction during the first days of the revolution were over and that the French-Tunisian relationship would continue as before. Juppé also brought with him the promise of French aid, about 350 Million Euros during 2011-2012, to be dispensed through the French Development Agency.

Meanwhile, French President Sarkozy and the French Defense Minister met for three hours today with Moustapha Abdeljalil, the president of the Libyan insurgency movement called the CNT - National Council of Transition - and his delegation.

While the CNT is seeking military assistance on the ground in Misrata, France made it clear that no French or European troops will be put on the ground in Libya. Instead, the French offered technical, logistic and organizational help, along with medicine and other humanitarian aid. The French also promised to intensify the aerial attacks against Qadhaffi forces.

Importantly, the French became the second European country, after Great Britain, to promise to put liaison officers on the ground in Benghazi. The American CIA has operatives in Benghazi, but they are operating undercover.

Abdeljalil promised to create a democratic government in Libya, with its leaders being elected at voting places and not by tanks. He also asked for more humanitarian help for the many Libyans displaced or homeless because of Qadhaffi’s attacks.

Abdeljalil thanked France for her courageous step in being the first country to formally recognize the CNT, and thanked Qatar and Italy as well for their formal recognition.

Things seem to be on the right course in North Africa. Let us all work to keep them moving in the right direction.