Ahmed Ounaies | |
---|---|
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia | |
In office 27 January 2011 – 13 February 2011 | |
President | Fouad Mebazaa (Acting) |
Prime Minister | Mohamed Ghannouchi |
Preceded by | Kamel Morjane |
Succeeded by | Mouldi Kefi |
Personal details | |
Born | Tunis, Tunisia | 25 January 1936
Ahmed Ounaies, also spelled Ahmed Ounaiss, (born 25 January 1936) is a Tunisian politician and diplomat who was Foreign Minister for two weeks in the transitional government established after the 2010–2011 Tunisian uprising. Public pressure forced him to resign a week after controversially praising French Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie, who openly supported Ben Ali and helped deliver tear gas to police forces.
His predecessor who was Ben Ali's foreign minister — Kamel Morjane — had also resigned from his post. [1] His successor — Mouldi Kefi — was appointed on 21 February 2011. [2]
On January 29, after a week of protests in Egypt he said Tunisia and Egypt are different and both must "chart their own course". [3] He also emphasized that Tunisia was not going to involve itself in Egypt. [3]
During his trip to Paris, [4] he angered many Tunisians by stating he had always dreamed of meeting French Foreign Minister Alliot-Marie. [2] He went on to praise her by stating she was "above all a friend of Tunisia". [4] [5] In Tunis, about 300 employees of the foreign ministry staged a protest rally outside their workplace to demand that he step down after his comments. [6] Hundreds more joined the protest. [1]
After only two weeks as foreign minister, he resigned on 13 February 2011. [1] [7]
Ahmed Ounaies | |
---|---|
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia | |
In office 27 January 2011 – 13 February 2011 | |
President | Fouad Mebazaa (Acting) |
Prime Minister | Mohamed Ghannouchi |
Preceded by | Kamel Morjane |
Succeeded by | Mouldi Kefi |
Personal details | |
Born | Tunis, Tunisia | 25 January 1936
Ahmed Ounaies, also spelled Ahmed Ounaiss, (born 25 January 1936) is a Tunisian politician and diplomat who was Foreign Minister for two weeks in the transitional government established after the 2010–2011 Tunisian uprising. Public pressure forced him to resign a week after controversially praising French Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie, who openly supported Ben Ali and helped deliver tear gas to police forces.
His predecessor who was Ben Ali's foreign minister — Kamel Morjane — had also resigned from his post. [1] His successor — Mouldi Kefi — was appointed on 21 February 2011. [2]
On January 29, after a week of protests in Egypt he said Tunisia and Egypt are different and both must "chart their own course". [3] He also emphasized that Tunisia was not going to involve itself in Egypt. [3]
During his trip to Paris, [4] he angered many Tunisians by stating he had always dreamed of meeting French Foreign Minister Alliot-Marie. [2] He went on to praise her by stating she was "above all a friend of Tunisia". [4] [5] In Tunis, about 300 employees of the foreign ministry staged a protest rally outside their workplace to demand that he step down after his comments. [6] Hundreds more joined the protest. [1]
After only two weeks as foreign minister, he resigned on 13 February 2011. [1] [7]