Tunisia and Switzerland sign social security agreement
Switzerland invests nearly CHF 20 million in development cooperation in Tunisia.
Keystone / Stringer
Home Affairs Minister Alain Berset signed a social security agreement on Monday in Tunis with Tunisian Minister of Social Affairs Mohamed Trabelsi. He was received in the North African nation by Tunisian President Béji Caïd Essebsi and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.
The agreement governs ties between Switzerland and Tunisia in the field of social security, according to the Swiss home affairs ministry. It covers old-age, survivors’ and invalidity insurance and meets international standards for the coordination of social security systems. It still allows pensions to be paid abroad. As before, Tunisian nationals who leave Switzerland permanently will be able to waive their pension and request a refund of their contributions instead.
Finally, the agreement facilitates the mobility of nationals of both countries: it avoids double taxation of the respective social security systems. It will enter into force as soon as it has been approved by the parliaments of both counties.
The visit provided an opportunity to review various aspects of bilateral relations and discuss Tunisia’s political and economic developments.
On Monday evening, after meeting with the Minister of Cultural Affairs Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Alain Berset was to launch a regional cultural cooperation programme for North Africa.
Berset on Tuesday will visit two projects that address the economic and social challenges that promote violent extremism and radicalisation of youth. The objective of these projects supported by Switzerland is to offer future prospects to young people in the disadvantaged suburbs of Tunis, for example by offering them cultural activities.
These programmes are developed in close collaboration with schools, authorities and local security forces. Every year, Switzerland invests nearly CHF 20 million ($20 million) in development cooperation in Tunisia.
More
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss help empower young people in Tunisian slums
This content was published on
Switzerland has contributed to a project in Tunisian slums that aims to help youth find a job and avoid extremism.
On wolves, ‘priority should be given to scare shots’, says expert
This content was published on
Wolf expert Jean-Marc Landry believes that Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti's decision to rely entirely on shooting is short-sighted.
A thousand demonstrators in Swiss capital demand climate justice
This content was published on
The climate crisis is exacerbating injustice around the world, and the current economic system benefits from colonial and patriarchal oppression, said one of the speakers.
Russian drones in Poland have ‘no impact’ on Switzerland: defence minister
This content was published on
According to Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister, the intrusion of Russian drones into Polish airspace "shows how unstable the situation in Europe is."
E-cars account for 10.5% of new registrations in the canton of Zug
This content was published on
Nowhere else in Switzerland are electric cars as popular as in Zug. Currently, 10.5 per cent of cars registered in the canton of Zug are purely electric, as new data from the online platform Energie Reporter and Energie Schweiz and Geoimpact show.
ETH climate researcher honoured with the German Environmental Award
This content was published on
Swiss climate researcher Sonia Isabelle Seneviratne from ETH Zurich receives the German Environmental Award 2025. She shares the prize, endowed with 500,000 euros, with the management duo of the steel galvanising company Zinq.
Police end attempted occupation of Zurich’s Platzspitz square
This content was published on
A large contingent of police prevented an attempted occupation of the Platzspitz area behind the National Museum in Zurich on Friday afternoon. They checked over 200 people and ordered them away. The group of occupiers cited anti-capitalist motives as the reason for the action.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Where Swiss development aid meets migration
This content was published on
Controversial and currently on hold in Switzerland, the UN Migration Pact strives to help people live in peace and follow their dreams.
‘The more we take democracies for granted, the less prepared we are to defend them’
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign minister says human rights and democracy remain at the heart of Switzerland’s agenda, as the UN human rights declaration turns 70.
Tunisia continues along the rocky path of democratic progress
This content was published on
Switzerland's ambassador to Tunisia sees important progress on human rights, democracy and the security situation in the North African country.
Swiss-Tunisian migration accords bearing fruit, says minister
This content was published on
Migration accords signed between Tunisia and Switzerland in 2012 are bearing fruit, Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui has told swissinfo.ch.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.