Tunisian President Kais Saied on Wednesday declared war on food speculators as a shortage of products such as wheat and semolina which are key staples in a country are already mired in a political-economic crisis.
Africa Today News, New York reports that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has in so many ways threatened supplies of basic foodstuffs, particularly wheat which many Arab countries chiefly import from the two eastern European nations.
In a presidency statement which was sighted by Africa Today News, New York, Saied announced that he was launching a ‘relentless war on speculators and criminals’, accusing them of seeking to ‘strike at social peace and security’.
Saied had previously announced that he was working on legislation introducing prison sentences as a penalty for food speculation and profiteering.
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Tunisia has seen a sharp shortage in staples such as rice, semolina, sugar and flour over the past weeks, with the authorities frequently announcing the seizure of illegally stored quantities of these foods.
Tunisia remains embroiled in economic and political crisis eight months after Saied seized extraordinary powers, having dissolved parliament and suspended the government.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses a threat to food supplies to Tunisia, which imports about half its wheat from Ukraine and is dependent on foreign countries for much of its food supplies.
The food chain globally has been terribly affected by the invasion and ensuing crisis in Europe.
The North African country had in February opened talks with the International Monetary Fund over a potential multi-billion-dollar bailout for the country’s crisis-hit economy which is terribly struggling.
The lender has called for ‘deep reforms’ and public spending cuts, having previously voiced concern over Tunisia’s budget deficits and in particular its public sector wage bill.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK