Tunisia deploys troops to protect desert oil fields from Islamists

Marzouki succeeds in establishing a regional Supreme Court Tunis – Azhar Jarboui The Tunisian government has deployed combat units across the country’s desert regions to protect oil fields and fuel stations, in attempts to avoid a repeat of the Algerian In Amenas hostage crisis, following France’s military intervention in northern Mali to quell the spread of radical Islamists across the whole of North Africa.
Troops will be stationed in “crucial areas of the Tunisian desert” to protect oil facilities, as well as lucrative oil and gas fields, near the southeastern border between Tunisia and Algeria, security sources told Arabstoday.
Meanwhile, Tunisia’s President Mohammed Moncef Marzouki took centre-stage at the African Union [AU] summit in Addis Ababa on Monday, where his proposal to establish a regional Supreme Court monitoring international law was adopted.
The decision follows a meeting between heads of state from Tunisia, Algeria and Libya to establish such a judicial body.
During the last session, held at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, African heads of state agreed to adopt Marzouki’s proposals, later referring the project to the AU’s International Law Commission to submit a report ahead of the next summit.
President Marzouki stressed the importance of “creating a body with judicial and advisory functions to administer laws, legislation and practices across all nations.”
Another Tunisia proposal, regarding the establishment of an African Institute of Statistics [which will be established in Tunis], was approved by the summit with a budget of approximately $11.5m.
The Tunisian leader also met with other world leaders on the sidelines of the 20th African Union summit.
During talks with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Marzouki reportedly discussed Tunisia’s ongoing transition process as well as upcoming legislative and presidential elections.
The meeting also addressed recent developments in the conflicts in Mali and Syria, stressing “the need to protect civilians from violations and maintain their safety in accordance with the provisions of international conventions and treaties on human rights.”
Marzouki meanwhile met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Disalih, whose country hosted the landmark summit, to discuss bolstering bilateral relations between the countries.
The Tunisian and Ethiopian leaders also discussed developments in the financial crisis sweeping countries across northern Africa.
Other African states have called for “comprehensive assessment of existing partnerships between the countries of the African Union to strengthen integration and cooperation between them,” in order to face off financial threats and ongoing conflicts in the region.