Sghaier Noury, doctor and President of the Center for Strategic Studies and Development said the appointment of new ministers in the Government will not change the reality, because of the prevailing climate of mistrust and doubt. To do this, it is time to discard the false options by establishing a clear development plan that meets the aspirations of the people.
Interview:
Can you tell us about the Centre for Strategic Studies and Development?
This center was established in Sidi Bouzid, just after the Revolution. It is an NGO whose main mission is to help people to transform the objectives of the Revolution into economic and social development projects to create jobs.
Two years after the revolution, how do you see the economic situation in Tunisia?
As evidenced by the demonstrations and sit-ins that take place everywhere, Tunisia needs a development program and a dynamic economic and social development. In this context, we can say objectively and summarily that dynamic development is stalling.
For two years, nothing substantial has been made, especially job creation for young people.
What are the reasons for this stalemate?
The reasons for this stalemate, in my opinion, pertain mainly to the fact that the concerns and priorities of those who govern us, including the opposition and members of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), are political ones.
However, the country wants to see priorities reversed and the top priority be given to socio-economic development.
Politics today in Tunisia can be only a consequence and support to economic and social development. Any strategy to give politics top priority fails in Tunisia.
We have met several government officials and we have issued this warning forcefully, stressing that priority should be given to development, particularly in regions, while involving civil society and citizens of the regions.
If the activity of those who govern is primarily focused on politics as is the case today, we lose both economic development and politics. Indeed, today, in Tunisia, we have neither an economic development in action, nor a constitution. So we have missed both goals. The main reason is that we reversed priorities. Rather than giving priority to socio-economic development, active forces in the country were absorbed by the political component.
The second reason is that no actor can initiate a development program without the direct and concrete involvement of residents of regions.
We have recommended to the two successive governments, priority and the methodology tool for implementing such a development plan, which is to create in each region, local development committees, involving the civil society. Indeed, the absence of the civil society in this development plan is the first obstacle to the realization of projects.
Faced with the disappointment of citizens because of unfulfilled promises of the ruling Troika, which actions should the government take to fill the gaps?
Let us begin by dismissing false options which we have talked about, namely a broad-based government. Today, we speak of a government of technocrats, but it is too late for these options to be operational. There is now a climate of mistrust, doubt and the appointment of new personalities in the government will change nothing compared to reality.
What do you expect from the reshuffle to be announced soon?
Specifically, I will not say anything. Nothing will happen, because this is not a change of government or persons. It is a clear and precise plan or a strategy of economic development. This is a process of involving the civil society and the inhabitants of each region. Today, however, there is nothing, no specific plan or program capable of responding to emergencies in the country.
Clear development model and a process of involving the civil society, is this possible under current conditions?
The answer is no. The solution, in our view, is the organization of elections. There is no more possible solution that can be implemented today in Tunisia, it is too late.
We must organize elections to bring about a government that is no longer an interim one and which will have a new legitimacy. Whatever the current government does, it is too late. The government will suffer more injustice. Whatever it does, conditions are such now and any action will be misinterpreted, doubtful and misunderstood.
Therefore, we must now end this transitional period and move to a period of stability, and this can be done only through elections.
If we do not make this peaceful transition, people can make it through another revolution, which I do not wish for our country.
What is the role of your center in this process?
It is important to note that the center has worked quietly for 18 months, and we have presented a whole process of economic development for the two successive governments but nothing has been implemented.
We have conducted experiments in inland regions, specifically Sidi Bouzid and implemented a number of projects to serve as models for economic development to test and verify the feasibility of what we offer.
We have already set up five projects that are somehow a sample of a scale model of what could be a model for economic development in our country. We are also preparing a program that will be presented soon.
What is your message to the government and the Tunisian people, especially in this quite tense climate?
I have sent my message to the government for 18 months and I have decided not to do it again.
We met with government officials. More than eight meetings were held with the Government of Beji Caid Essebsi in order to trigger a development dynamic. We have concluded that the political class is not able to grasp the sensitivity of citizens. The State has not fully understood the country’s reality and the aspirations of citizens. Therefore, salvation can only come from the people.
So I appeal to the Tunisian people, who observe many strikes and demonstrations and have not yet a specific program.
I hope that soon I will be able to provide the people with a development program and a vision of what should be a Tunisian constitution, not the one that is being discussed which is very far from the aspirations and objectives of the revolution.
We must overcome as soon as possible the situation. In this context, our Centre for Strategic Studies and Development will offer soon a new project, wishing that the Tunisian people will adopt it by making it their main claim. Rather than getting lost in a thousand claims that are legitimate but which block the country, I hope that the Tunisian people chose this project to defend it.
