President Barack Obama heralded Tunisia's progress toward democracy after a White House meeting with Prime Minister Beji Caid Sebsi on Friday, awarded for the country's "inspiration" of the Arab Spring. "The United States has enormous stake in seeing success in Tunisia and the creation of greater opportunity and more business investment in Tunisia," Obama said after an Oval Office meeting the Tunisian leader.
Washington hopes Tunisia's progress toward democracy will set an example others will follow after faltering steps in that direction by Egypt, and Obama discussed an aid package worth $50 million in loan guarantees and enterprise seed capital.
"Given that Tunisia was the first country to undergo the transformation we know as the Arab Spring, and given it is now the first to have elections, we thought it was appropriate that Tunisia would be the first to visit the White House," he said. Tunisia's popular uprising toppled its autocratic ruler Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali in January, sparking similar movements that have reshaped the political landscape of the Arab world.
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