Tunisia: Military called to protect industrial assets amid rising social unrest

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Posted On 11 May 2017

Number of times this article was read : 199

The North Africa Journal | May 11, 2017: For the first time in the country’s history, the Tunisian government has asked the army to protect oil and gas sites and other key infrastructures. Advisory firm MEA Risk LLC says the country’s president, Beji Caid Essebsi argued with key officials and publicly that the current social unrest constitutes a major challenge to industrial and economic continuity and must be protected, directing the military to take a proactive role in industrial asset protection.

The disruptions from riots, protests and general social unrest of the past weeks, including the ones in Tatouine are having a negative impact on a number of sites’ operations, prompting the presidential security order. However, the president himself recognizes that the call for military protection is not trivial and could be a challenge to the country’s efforts to protect rights and freedoms.

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Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.