Interview with Tunisian Ambassador Hermi about the Tunisian-Hungarian relations and much more

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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Photo: Embassy of Tunisia in Budapest

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 67^th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

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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.

With regard to the current Tunisian-Hungarian relationship, it is worth emphasizing that it is a diverse relationship based on the principle of respect and mutual trust, and these relations are subject to further growing in the coming years due to the promising capabilities and opportunities available to both countries to develop various sectors of economic, scientific and cultural cooperation.

It is notable that cooperation relations have witnessed in recent years a remarkable development in many fields and are likely to be enriched and diversified more and more.

There are many promising areas of cooperation that must be strengthened in the near future among them higher education through the Stipendium Hungaricum program, security cooperation, ICT, agricultural scientific research, water management and health, in addition to traditional areas such as promoting trade exchanges, investment, tourism and building strong partnerships between the private sector in order to launch joint projects in Tunisia and towards African market.

DNH: What are the economic links between the two countries? What do we import to your country? And what kind of Tunisian goods can the consumer find?

H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: Tunisia has had economic relations with Hungary since 1958, where there is a rich and diversified legal framework governing these relations in terms of economy, trade and investment.

Although the volume of trade remains below expectations (about 125 million Euros in 2022) and does not reflect the real opportunities available on both sides, the increase in the volume of trade is conditioned by the availability of several elements, including the availability of a direct air flight between Tunisia and Hungary and greater involvement of the private sector in the development of trade, in addition to the intensification of reciprocal visits of businessmen of both countries and participation in exhibitions and trade fairs.

The available statistical data indicate a similarity in the composition of exports and imports between Tunisia and Hungary, which includes a significant percentage (over 50%) of electronic and electrical materials and equipment, which is mainly due to investments in the automotive industry and its components located in both countries.

The presence of Tunisian products on the Hungarian market is modest and limited to a few foodstuffs, such as dates, olive oil, Tunisian Harissa, which looks like “paprika”, dried figs and various types of cookies and jams.

DNH: During your time here, your family and your children must have had many experiences of Hungary and Hungarians.

H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: In fact, the Hungarian people are firmly rooted in their deep history and endowed with strong civilization traditions of hospitality, generosity and human warmth.

My family and I experienced this cultural depth during our travels in Hungary to particularly Szentendre, Visegrád and Tihany, where we were warmly welcomed by Hungarian friends. Tunisia also shares with Hungary the same family values and gives to the family a primordial place as the solid core of the society and a vector of its cohesion and development.

DNH: And what do you think of Hungarian food? Can you list some favourites, if there are any?

H. E. Ambassador Abdelkarim Hermi: I think that the Hungarian people, throughout his long history, have built up a rich and varied gastronomic heritage. Gulyás soup with vegetables is one of the most delicious Hungarian dishes, as well the Halászlé or the fisherman’s soup, the deep-fried flat bread Lángos, the Csirkepaprikás, the popular dessert Mádartej and the poppy seed roll.