Aid to Tunisia is a European responsibility

They say aid never comes without a catch, but France's surprise $1.1 billion gift to Tunisia appears to come as a helping hand to an embattled government struggling to cope with an economic slump and consequent unrest.

French President Francois Hollande made the announcement shortly after a visit by Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid to Paris — a trip cut short after protests about unemployment and economic mismanagement reached the Tunisian capital.

Tunisia had already announced a night-time curfew to deal with the unrest — showing a security-focused approach by the secular government, which contains some remnants from the old regime.

Even the most recent trouble has some echoes of the Jasmime Revolution in 2010, which were sparked by police brutality — still a concern for human rights groups — and economic malaise. 

Recent unrest

Protests erupted on Sunday, when a young man from Kasserine, who lost out on a government job, climbed a transmission tower in protest and was electrocuted.

Unrest quickly spread to other parts of Tunisia.

Tunis has been unable to halt an economic downturn, compacted by extremist attacks on European holidaymakers, which devastated local tourism.

However, many see economic disparities and radicalisation as twin battles that can be fought with one sword — and this might be France's approach to the crisis.

"A major aspect of the [aid] plan aims to help poor regions and young people, putting the focus on employment," Hollande's office said.

"Five years after the revolution, Tunisia has succeeded in its democratic transition but remains confronted by major economic, social and security challenges."

Tunisia was the first country to go pass through the mass protests and killings during the Arab Spring.

It was also the first of the Arab nations to overthrow its hated dictator, President Zine Abedine Ben Ali.

Although Tunisia managed a successful and largely peaceful transition to democracy, many concerns remain.

One worry for the country — and France — is the radicalisation of Tunisia's youth. Often poor, unemployed and marginalised, they are seeing few of the benefits of a post-Ali Tunisia.

Ultra-conservative Salafism is said to be widespread, and Tunisia has given the Islamic State group its most foreign fighters.

Trouble on the doorstep

Also worrying is the war in neighbouring Libya, which also overthrew a longtime disliked dictator.

Although very different countries and with contrasting experiences, civil war in Libya led to the rise of the Islamic State group and other extremist militias in the country.

Many Tunisians are said to be taking part in the fighting.

Libya has also become factionalised between mainstream Islamist and secular-nationalist blocs, leading to fears the same divisions in Tunisia could open up.

For Europe, the fear is that the instability in Tunisia could lead to increasing numbers of refugees trying to reach the continent's shores.

North Europe's meeting with "The Other" has led to ugly scenes of far-right hate and vigilantism.

France appears more wary of the proliferation of extremists in Tunisia.

Paris witnessed a number of horrific acts of terror taking place last year and France's colonial links to North Africa would make it the obvious target for refugees from these countries.

Fears of terrorism — or even that France's "secular" heart is coming under threat from law-abiding but observant Muslims — has dominated debate about immigration.

On Friday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls speaking at the World Economic Forum showed that even the Left in France is not immune from anti-immigration rhetoric.

"If Europe is not capable of protecting its own borders, it's the very idea of Europe that will be questioned," said Valls.

With these few words, the prime minister equated Europe as a concept being under threat from the millions of refugees fleeing war in Syria, Iraq, and Libya.

He also blamed Europe's compassionate elements, such as their Refugees Welcome sentiments, as leading factors to the current crisis, threatening the European Union project's stability.

"Today, when we speak in Europe, a few seconds later it is mainly on the smartphones in the refugee camps," he said.

Inequality, repression and unemployment has led to bloody wars in the Arab world but also has a global reach.

Europe's future is tied to its southern and eastern neighbours, and if the continent averts its eyes from the bloodshed and suffering in the Arab world, then it will likely feel the painful consequences too.

In that respect, Hollande's aid package is a good thing, but police brutality, corruption and inequality are other factors that also need urgent remedy.