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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 17 June 2022
Public workers strike in Tunisia, signaling national crisis

Associated Press cisions alone without con-
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — A na- sulting us,” Zuhein said.
tionwide public sector strike At a weekend UGTT meet-
in Tunisia is poised to para- ing ahead of Thursday’s
lyze land and air transpor- strike, hundreds of union
tation and other vital activi- members filled the Palace
ties Thursday with the North of Congress in Tunis , wav-
African nation already in ing national flags and sing-
the midst of a deteriorating ing popular songs. The au-
economic crisis. dience cheered as union
Tunisia’s powerful Gen- president Noureddine
eral Labour Union (UGTT) Tabboubi took the stage,
announced the walkout, promising to oppose the
which is expected to in- government’s economic
clude 159 state enterprises, reforms.
on the basis of pressing Tabboubi told the AP af-
social and economic de- ter the meeting that Thurs-
mands. The union is de- day’s strike was a neces-
manding wage increases sary response to Tunisia’s
and protesting the govern- high inflation rate– which
ment’s planned economic according to the Institute
reforms. of Statistics, reached 7.8%
The purchasing power of in May and to high living
Tunisian citizens has eroded costs that intensified with
since the beginning of the General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) Noureddine Taboubi gives a speech the Central Banks’ recent
during a rally in front of its headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia, Thursday, June 16, 2022.
year amid rising prices, high Associated Press decision to increase inter-
unemployment and wide- est rates.
spread poverty. The war in powers. While his critics ac- backsliding. sector employees, are bur- The union chief said the
Ukraine has exacerbated cuse him of staging a coup, A meeting between the dened with a great part of strike had the potential to
the financial squeeze. Saied said he had acted government and the UGTT the charges of state debt” set off a “social explosion”
President Kais Saied’s gov- in response to widespread was held Tuesday but failed union member Boubaker that was “normal and inevi-
ernment unveiled plans economic and social dis- to yield an agreement. Ben Ali said. table.” Speaking Saturday,
last week to cut its massive content. Hundreds of trade union Naza Zuhein, another trade he said the walkout was
public wage bill and said it Many are concerned Thurs- members and public sector unionist, told The Associat- not a political action but
would progressively reduce day’s strike could seriously workers gathered in front ed Press she attended the “based solely on the social
energy and food subsidies impact an already fragile of the UGTT headquarters demonstration to express demands of the working
starting next year. The gov- economy and fuel an al- in downtown Tunis to mark her frustration that life in Tu- classes.”
ernment said it would re- ready tense political situa- the walkout. Many spoke nisia has “become impos- A key issue for Saied’s gov-
place subsidies with cash tion. An increasingly isolat- of their deep concern over sible.” ernment is the country’s
handouts for low-income ed Saied has run the coun- the higher cost of living “Our wages are low and urgent need to secure a
families. try alone for 10 months, and the government’s per- the prices are getting high- new loan from the Interna-
In July 2021, Saied abruptly ruling by decree, while key ceived inability to solve the er ... and meanwhile, this tional Monetary Fund (IMF),
dismissed the government Western allies have raised crisis. man (Kais Saied) is very Tunisia’s fourth loan in a
and took on sweeping concerns of democratic “We, as citizens, as public stubborn. He is making de- decade.q
France: Nearly 40 jihadis killed in drone strikes in Niger

Burkina Faso, France’s mili- Niger’s government also is- nine years after the French
tary announced Thursday. sued a statement, saying military led an effort that
In a statement, the French the jihadis were killed after ousted Islamic extremists
military called the strikes an attack earlier this week from Timbuktu and other
a “new tactical success” killed eight security forces centers in northern Mali. The
for France’s counterterror- in southwestern Niger. decision to withdraw from
ism efforts in Africa’s Sahel The drone strikes in Niger Mali came amid increasing
region, named Operation come as France reorga- hostility toward the French
Barkhane. nizes its military efforts in the armed presence and ten-
“Intelligence obtained broader Sahel region, the sions with the country’s
from Nigerien units in con- vast area south of the Saha- leader, who led two coups
tact with the column con- ra Desert where it was once nine months apart to con-
firmed that the motorcy- a colonial power and still solidate his power.
cles belonged to an armed maintains strong economic France has said that it
terrorist group moving be- ties. Niger has become a planned to reposition its
This photo provided by the French Defense Ministry tween Burkina Faso and Ni- more reliable ally after mili- forces from Mali to other
communication center and taken Tuesday Dec. 17, 2019, shows ger,” Barkhane said in the tary coups overthrew the countries in the Sahel re-
French soldiers loading a French Reaper drone with two GBU 12 statement. democratically elected gion including Niger. Ex-
missiles on Niamey airbase, Niger. “In close coordination with presidents of neighboring tremist violence is growing
Associated Press
Niger’s Armed Forces, the Mali and Burkina Faso over in the Sahel, including in
By DALATOU MAMANE nearly 40 Islamic extremists Barkhane force conducted the last two years. Niger’s southwest neigh-
Associated Press earlier this week who were several strikes against the Earlier this year, France an- bor, Burkina Faso, which
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — traveling on motorcycles column. Nearly 40 terrorists nounced it was withdraw- is battling growing jihadi
French drone strikes killed near Niger’s border with were neutralized.” ing all its forces from Mali attacks.q