H.E. Mr. Sami NAGGA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Tunisian Republic to Bucharest
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: Excelency,
Please present to us the important aspects of the historical evolution of the Tunisian state!
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sami NAGGA: Tunisia, bordered by the Mediterranean from the north and east, carries a civilizational legacy over three millennia in which Punic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman, French and European cultures intertwined with the deep-rooted Berber identity to forge a uniquely rich and composite heritage.
After gaining independence on 20 March 1956 and transitioning from the kingdom to a modern Republic grounded in the rule of law, Tunisia advanced rapidly, becoming a regional leader in education, healthcare, and social development.
The Revolution of 17 December 2010 opened a new chapter, launching a profound democratic transition shaped by the aspirations of its citizens for dignity and freedom.
Since 25 July 2021, reforms initiated by His Excellency President Kais Saied have sought to realign State Institutions with the will of the people and establish a more genuine, accountable, and participatory democracy, one that reflects the long historical journey of Tunisia and its enduring pursuit of justice and progress.
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: What are Tunisia’s geopolitical and geostrategic priorities in the period 2025-2040.
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sami NAGGA: Tunisia reaffirms its adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter and its commitment to peaceful coexistence, international legality, and constructive cooperation among States. Tunisia maintains no hostility toward any nation and continues to act in accordance with the values of peace, dialogue, and mutual respect.
Anchored in its Maghreb, Arab, African, and Mediterranean identity spaces, Tunisia is committed to strengthening regional integration, consolidating its natural partnerships, including with the European Union member States, and diversifying its international cooperation in pursuit of stability, development, and shared prosperity.
Looking ahead to the period 2025—2040, Tunisia is defining a comprehensive geopolitical and geostrategic vision based on the reinforcement of national sovereignty, strategic autonomy, and resilience.
This vision prioritizes the diversification of partnerships, reduction of strategic dependencies, enhancement of cybersecurity and digital sovereignty, and consolidation of economic diplomacy.
Tunisia will continue to advocate for a comprehensive reform of the international system and for the establishment of equitable and innovative mechanisms. Tunisia also reaffirms its sovereign right to recover assets unlawfully transferred abroad.
Tunisia’s approach to migration is governed by principles of human rights, legality, shared responsibility, and rejection of all forms of discrimination.
Tunisia categorically refuses to serve as a country of transit or settlement for irregular migrants who are victims of trafficking networks, and stresses that migration must remain a matter of choice.
Tunisia continues to advocate for cooperative, development-oriented frameworks that address root causes and ensure the dignity and safety of all persons.
Tunisia aims to enhance its role within its regional environments. In the Maghreb, Tunisia supports initiatives to revitalize regional integration. In the Arab world, it continues to promote solidarity and collective security. In Africa, Tunisia seeks to expand cooperation in education, health, technology, and capacity building. In the Mediterranean, Tunisia is committed to contributing to stability, maritime security, and sustainable development.
Energy security, technological transformation, and environmental sustainability constitute strategic priorities. Tunisia intends to develop renewable energy capacities, strengthen regional energy interconnections, modernize infrastructure, and support innovation across key sectors.
These efforts aim to position Tunisia as a platform for green energy, digital services, and regional connectivity.
Tunisia remains committed to building a resilient society capable of addressing global transformations, including climatic, technological, economic, and security developments.
By 2040, Tunisia aims to consolidate its position as a stable, responsible, and constructive actor on the regional and international scene, committed to multilateralism, respectful of international law, supportive of dialogue between civilizations, and dedicated to the promotion of peace, security, and sustainable development.
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: What are the forms of economic cooperation in which Your Excellency’s state is a member? What objectives and priorities are on your work agenda?
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sami NAGGA: Tunisia occupies a strategically significant position in the Mediterranean, situated just one hour by air from Europe and less than three hours from major cities in the Middle East. This advantageous location establishes Tunisia as a vital gateway connecting Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, facilitating trade, investment, and regional cooperation.
The country enjoys an advanced partnership with the European Union, with negotiations underway for a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), which will further reinforce its economic and commercial ties with Europe. In addition, Tunisia has concluded free trade agreements with some of Arab countries under the AGADIR framework granting access to key regional markets.
At the continental level, Tunisia is a member of COMESA, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, encompassing 625 million consumers, and is actively engaged in discussions to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), potentially opening access to an additional 325 million consumers. These initiatives reflect Tunisia’s strategic commitment to deepening regional economic integration and expanding its commercial presence across the continent.
Tunisia also benefits from an extensive network of international agreements, including 52 treaties on double taxation and 54 bilateral agreements designed to promote and protect investments. These arrangements provide legal certainty for investors and reinforce Tunisia’s position as a dynamic and reliable economic hub at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Currently, Tunisia is actively implementing these agreements while reviewing and updating certain accords to reflect evolving economic, commercial, and geopolitical conditions.’Through these efforts, the country seeks to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new strategic agreements, thereby enhancing its regional and international integration and reinforcing its long-term economic growth and attractiveness.
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: The year 2025 is a difficult one due to ongoing conflicts, with direct implications for MENA! In this context – with regional instabilities caused by Libya, Lebanon, Palestine – how do you project your power on a regional and global level?
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sami NAGGA: Tunisia’s positions within the international arena: On 27 September, at the High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisian Abroad underscored Tunisia’s support for the United Nations Secretary-General’s “United Nations 80” initiative aimed at reforming and reinforcing the role of the Organization, restoring international legitimacy, and renewing confidence in multilateralism.
Tunisia reaffirmed its commitment to multilateral action and collective responsibility, and designated 2025 as the Year of “Strengthening Multilateralism and Enhancing Cooperation with the United Nations System”.
Tunisia reiterated its firm and principled support for the Palestinian people and for their legitimate and inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Tunisia condemned all violations committed in occupied Palestinian territory, including the declared intention to reoccupy the Gaza Strip, and called for the lifting of the blockade, an end to famine, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance. Tunisia further expressed deep concern over the inability of the Security Council to put an end to the humanitarian crisis.
Tunisia also called for the cessation of repeated violations against several countries in the region, notably Syria, Lebanon, and most recently Qatar. It reiterated the need to preserve the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria, emphasized the importance of a political settlement in Yemen, and urged all Sudanese parties to engage in dialogue and peaceful means to resolve the crisis. Tunisia reaffirmed its consistent support for the sovereign choices of the Libyan people and reiterated that any solution to the Libyan crisis must be exclusively Libyan-led.
Regarding Africa, Tunisia highlighted the need for strengthened international support to address the continent’s multiple challenges and to advance peace, security, and development. Tunisia recalled its contribution to peacekeeping efforts, including the 2025 international conference organized with the United Nations Department of Peace Operations on “The Role of Armed Forces in the Protection of Civilians in Peacekeeping Operations.”
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: From a cultural and religious point of view, you have unique traditions in the region. How do you promote them abroad?
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sami NAGGA: The promotion of cultural diversity, the values of tolerance, openness to others, and the harmonious coexistence of religions and cultures constitute fundamental pillars of Tunisia’s national identity. These principles are upheld and advanced through a broad array of instruments, including the conclusion of bilateral cultural agreements with our international partners. In this context, it is noteworthy that Tunisia recently signed a cultural cooperation agreement with Romania on I l November 2025, on the occasion of the official working visit to Tunisia by Mr. Andras Demeter, the Romanian Minister of Culture.
Tunisia is equally committed to enhancing the visibility and appreciation of its rich national cultural heritage. This is achieved through the organization of major international cultural events, participation in global fairs and artistic exhibitions, and the implementation of diverse initiatives aimed at promoting, safeguarding, and transmitting its exceptional cultural and natural heritage, both tangible and intangible.
The country also attaches particular importance to the development of creative and digital industries, which today constitute essential levers of cultural diplomacy and contribute significantly to strengthening Tunisia’s cultural outreach on the international stage.
Moreover, Tunisia is a party to several regional and multilateral cultural conventions, including the 1972 Paris Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
These instruments have enabled Tunisia to secure the inscription of numerous cultural and natural sites, as well as intangible heritage expressions, reflecting the richness of its civilizational legacy and the diversity of its religious traditions. The inscription of the island ofDjerba, an emblematic space of peaceful coexistence among Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities, stands as a particularly compelling illustration of Tunisia’s enduring commitment to intercultural harmony and shared heritage.
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: Recently, you organized an economic mission at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Municipality of Bucharest! How do you assess the political, economic, cultural, and military bilateral relations with Romania, and what were the achievements of this economic mission?
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sami NAGGA: The Embassy recently coordinated the Tunisian Economic Mission to Bucharest and Constança, held on 22 and 23 September 2025, which brought together a high-level delegation composed of the President of CONECT International, the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA), the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX), and approximately twenty Tunisian business leaders operating in key sectors such as agrifood industries, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, and ICT.
During this mission, the Tunisian delegation held constructive discussions with Romanian counterparts and conducted several field visits to major farms, agribusinesses, and industrial companies, with the aim of identifying new opportunities for cooperation, technology transfer, and joint investment. These exchanges strengthened mutual understanding of the respective markets’ needs and capabilities, laying the foundations for sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships between Tunisian and Romanian enterprises.
The Embassy is currently ensuring close follow-up to the outcomes of this economic mission and remains actively engaged in consolidating bilateral relations between Tunisia and Romania across all areas of shared interest. This forward-looking momentum is expected to continue and to expand into all sectors of bilateral cooperation.
Dr. Vasile Simileanu: Your Excellency, On behalf of the team of Geopolitica Magazine and our readers, we wish you much success in achieving the objectives ahead of the diplomatic mission in Romania!