Interview with Tunisian Ambassador Hermi about the Tunisian-Hungarian relations and much more
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We interviewed His Excellency Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi, head of the Tunisian embassy in Hungary. During the interview he talked about how astonishing he finds Budapest, why we should visit Tunisia, what his favourite Hungarian dishes and rural cities.
DNH: Please tell us about yourself. What was your diplomatic background when you arrived in Budapest?
H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: I am a career diplomat with 26 years. I spent my diplomatic career between working at the Ministry and representing Tunisia abroad and serving my country successively in Muscat and Doha before being appointed as Ambassador to Hungary for the first time by His Excellency Mr. Kais Saied, President of the Republic, in November 2020.
DNH: What did you say when you found out that Budapest would be your next home?
H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: Definitely, my family and I were thrilled with the news of my appointment to Hungary, a country I had never had the opportunity to visit before. I was quite happy to start a new experience in a beautiful country that has its own charm and appeal in Central Europe. Despite the challenges that the nature of diplomatic work usually presents in terms of adaptation and stability, I was sure that Budapest would capture the hearts and minds of all who visited and lived in, and that it would leave unforgettable memories in our life.
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DNH: Is Tunisia a potential holiday destination for Hungarians? What makes your country different from other destination?
H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: It is certain that Tunisia has enough distinct civilization, cultural and geographical elements that place it in the first rank of the most attractive countries for tourists from different countries of the world including Hungary, and a tourist destination able of competing with many other international tourist destinations.
Tunisia is sufficiently aware of the magnitude of the challenges and the fierce competition to take its place on the world tourism map.
This is why Tunisia relies on the richness of its cultural and civilizational heritage and on its privileged geographical location (highest point of the north of the African continent and the closest Mediterranean country to Europe) to be one of the favourable touristic destination for the Hungarians. Tunisia also relies on the quality of tourism services and the richness and diversity of tourism products.
Despite the difficulties encountered by the tourism sector in the world in general and in Tunisia in particular due to Corona pandemic and the repercussions of the war in Ukraine, the ambition remains promising to attract more Hungarian tourists to the Tunisian market, especially in light of the gradual return of tourist flows from Hungary and the ambitious programs that have been set up by the Tunisian National Tourist Office in Budapest in order to attract more than 50,000 Hungarian tourists in the near future.
DNH: What can we know about the current Tunisian-Hungarian government relations? Can you list some important events from the past that were decisive?
H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: Tunisia has a historical friendship with Hungary that dates back to the fifties of the last century, Tunisia being the fourth Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with Hungary a few months after its independence on 20 March 1956. The two countries celebrate this year the 67th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.
It should be recalled that Tunisia was one of the most prominent countries to firmly defend the revolution of the Hungarian people in 1956 and to support its just cause before the United Nations on the basis of the principle of the peoples’ freedom to self-determination. We recall the considerable efforts made by the permanent representative of Tunisia at the time, the late Mongi Selim, who defended strongly the legitimacy of the United Nations in deliberating the Hungarian question in accordance with the principles and values of the UN Charter. Mongi Slim considered that the UN is entitled to examine the situation in Hungary and to adopt binding resolutions on the basis of the message addressed on November 1, 1956 to the UN Secretary General by the Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy and on the basis of the occupation of Hungarian territory by foreign armed forces. Later, Mongi Slim had obviously contributed to the preparation of the Report of the Special Committee on Hungary.