Premier Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday
on Tunisian President Kais Saied who has rejected the first
tranche of EU funding under a memorandum of understanding she
signed in Tunis with EU officials that she agreed with him on
the need to change the approach to African countries.
"I think that President Saied, certainly in an assertive tone,
was addressing public opinion," she said on commenting on his
rejection of the aid as "charity and alms".
"After that he is not saying anything very different from what
Italy is also saying, which is that the relationship with
African countries must change because we have had a
paternalistic approach with these countries, a bit as if we felt
superior, which is not the right way to deal with these matters.
"With these nations we must work with respect, as equals, with
an approach that is that of a strategic partnership."
The EU said Saied rejected the aid because he had been expecting
a much bigger sum than the 227 million.
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