German Assistance to Tunisia after 2011: Logic of ‘Transformational Partnership’

The Arab Spring prompted the European Union member states to reconsider their policies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Germany, which traditionally did not played a significant political role in the Arab world, after 2011 reviewed its doctrinal documents and intensified contacts with the MENA countries, including those that experienced revolutionary upheavals. Tunisia has become a key partner in the implementation of the new concept of ‘transformational partnership’ (Transformationspartnerschaft) due to its interest in democratic reforms and maintaining a political dialogue with the West. This paper examines the specific features of the German development assistance programs and political foundations’ activities in Tunisia. It concludes that the main objective of the country assistance program has been strengthening of statehood and democratization with active involvement of political foundations, which complemented the German official course aimed at bolstering ‘transformational partnership’. Moreover, relations between German political foundations and Tunisian authorities were ‒ in contrast with Egypt – very constructive and contributed to the overall promotien of Berlin's positions in this North African country