馃嚬馃嚦TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunisia launches national program to protect youth from drug addiction
via Business News2 min read
On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Tunisia's Ministry of Health announced a new national project aimed at strengthening social inclusion for young people and preventing addictive behaviors. The initiative, presented by Minister of Health Mustapha Ferjani, involves collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Swiss Embassy in Tunisia. The program targets children and young people aged 10 to 25, with a focus on vulnerable groups, to intervene proactively before risky situations become entrenched. Key components include developing life skills and social aptitudes, promoting healthy behaviors, and enhancing integration into family, school, and professional environments. Minister Ferjani emphasized that addiction is a collective issue requiring broad engagement, including training health and education professionals and providing scientific, psychological, and social support tailored to youth needs. The Ministry views prevention as crucial for limiting addiction and its impact on young Tunisians' lives, acknowledging the support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Switzerland in this international partnership to bolster prevention efforts and public policies for youth well-being.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Business News.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Tunis on Friday, July 25, to demonstrate against President Ka茂s Sa茂ed's administration and demand an end to what they describe as authoritarian rule. The demonstration, held five years after July 25, 2021, saw participants, including political activists, human rights defenders, trade unionists, and civil society figures, march through the streets. They carried Tunisian flags and placards, chanting slogans such as "Freedom!" and "The people want the fall of the regime!" The protesters criticized the government's performance, citing unfulfilled promises of prosperity and social justice, and highlighting issues like shortages, power and water cuts, rising unemployment, declining investment, and the exodus of young people. A central concern for the demonstrators was the erosion of liberties, with complaints about the prosecution of political opponents, lawyers, journalists, and activists, and a perceived climate of fear and instrumentalization of justice. The choice of July 25, which marks both Republic Day and the fifth anniversary of the 2021 power shift, was symbolic for the participants, who believe that democratic gains have eroded over the past five years.
On Saturday, July 25, 2026, Google's currency converter displayed the US dollar at approximately 3.96 Tunisian dinars, leading to speculation about a sudden depreciation of the dinar. This figure significantly deviates from the official exchange rate published by the Central Bank of Tunisia BCT, which reported the US dollar at 2.9554 dinars on July 23, 2026. The displayed Google rate represents an approximate 34% difference from the BCT's official rate. Google's converter notes that its data comes from Morningstar and includes a disclaimer, with the displayed value corresponding to data from July 24 at 10:57 PM UTC. A source close to Business News indicated that the BCT has not contacted Google for a correction, emphasizing that Google explicitly states its data provider and includes a disclaimer. Similar anomalies in Google's displayed exchange rates have occurred previously. In 2020, Google briefly showed the euro at 4.8990 Tunisian dinars, prompting the BCT to issue a public statement clarifying that the rate was "totally erroneous" and advising the public to consult its official website or those of Tunisian banks for accurate exchange rate information. The BCT reiterated this advice, emphasizing that online converters are not official sources for exchange rates.
Several civil society organizations in Tunisia are calling for a demonstration on Friday, July 25, 2026, in Tunis, marking both Republic Day and the fifth anniversary of President Ka茂s Sa茂ed's political shift on July 25, 2021. The gathering is scheduled for 6 PM at Place de la R茅publique Le Passage under the slogan "Enough of the mess!". Organizers issued a severe indictment of the head of state, stating he has governed without effective checks and balances for five years. They criticize the concentration of powers, the absence of a Constitutional Court, the lack of institutional independence, and the decline of public freedoms. The call also highlights unfulfilled presidential promises, including a medical city, penal reconciliation, anti-corruption efforts, regional disparity reduction, subcontracting elimination, and community company development. Organizers believe these commitments have given way to continuous economic and social deterioration. The appeal emphasizes daily difficulties faced by Tunisians, such as water, medicine, and essential goods shortages, persistent unemployment, mass emigration of skilled workers, investment collapse, and a worsening economic crisis. It also criticizes check reform, the gradual disappearance of political and media pluralism, and increased arrests of opponents, activists, and journalists. The authors contend that the government's "achievements" are limited to unannounced presidential visits and populist speeches, while "Tunisians exp