When the sky blesses friendship: CILC completes a regional training on legislation in Tunisia in the framework of the Matra South Training Program
CILC, in cooperation with the Academy for Legislation, organised a third regional training on legislation in Tunis from 23 to 27 September 2014.
The training was held in partnership with the Services of the Advisor of the Government for Law and Legislation, Presidency of the Government of the Republic of Tunisia. Her Excellency Asma Shiri Laabidi, Advisor of the Government, opened the training welcoming the 27 participants from Egypt, Jordan, Libya and Tunisia. She also shortly presented her institution and explained its important mission and tasks in the making of legislation in Tunisia.
Honoring the adoption of the new Constitution of Tunisia on 26 January 2014, which marked a historic event in the process of democratic transition of the country, the first day of the training was devoted to that Constitution as a study case. For this sake, professor Kais Saed and professor Gazi Gherairi of the Faculty of Law of the University of Tunis and Justice Faouzi ben Hammad, the First President of the Administrative Tribunal, lectured the group about the provisions of the Constitution and discussed various of its articles and specific issues.
During the remaining two days of the training, the participants held presentations on their approach to the back home assignment which they got in The Hague and had to prepare in their countries. The assignment induced the participants to apply the so-called Integrated Assessment Framework for policy and legislation and adapt it to their local context. This resulted not only in a lively discussion amongst the participants but also between them and their Dutch trainers who debated with them on serious technical legislative and legal issues.
On the last day, His Excellency Ambassador Hans van Vloten Dissevelt closed the training. He thanked the participants for their involvement and dedication and expressed the wish and expectation that the participants will put in practice the techniques and know-how they have acquired during the training when returning back home. In a short closing ceremony, the Ambassador also presented the certificates of the training to the participants.
Next to being a rewarding technical exercise that is complementary to the training conducted in June in The Hague, the training in Tunis contributed a great deal to the team building. While sharing information about the systems of their countries and the good practices in the region, the participants also had much fun and joking together. The visits to Sidi Bousaid and the city of Tunis added to the joy and friendship and strengthened the family feeling. A feeling that culminated in a very emotional farewell with the participants hugging each other in tears. “Even the sky is crying for our farewell” said a participant while the first rain of the season was falling to bless the moment and the country after an unusually long hot and dry period.
The Group with HE Ambassador Hans van Vloten Dissevelt
The Matra South Training program is a program that is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and which aims to support democratic changes in the Arab region and a sustainable transition towards upholding the rule of law and respect for human rights. For more information please refer to www.matra-south.nl
Matra South Training Legislation 2012-2014 has been implemented by CILC, in cooperation with the Academy for Legislation.
By Abdeljalil Taktak, Senior Project Manager