Tunisia Violence Prompts Bond Selloff, World Bank Action

Crackdown on Black migrants after president’s comments
Ivory Coast, Mali and Guinea evacuated citizens from Tunisia

Sub-Saharan migrants load their belongings onto a bus as they head to a repatriation flight, leaving Tunis, for their countries of origin on March 4.Photographer: Fethi Belaid/AFP/Getty Images

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By Abeer Abu Omar

March 7, 2023 at 6:38 AM UTC

Updated on

March 7, 2023 at 5:04 PM UTC

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The World Bank said it was temporarily pausing some discussions with Tunisia after an outbreak of violence against Black migrants that African countries say was stoked by President Kais Saied. Tunisian bonds led losses in emerging markets.

Discussions on the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework with Tunisia, which outlines “strategic directions for operational engagements” from 2023-2027, have been “temporarily paused,” according to a statement from the World Bank, citing its President David Malpass. Dialog and engagement with Tunisian authorities continues, it added.