[SURTITRE: French Embassy] Poivre d'Arvor plans to continue to squat on new ambassador's patch in Tunis

摘要

André Parant, who is shortly due to take up his post as French ambassador in Tunis, will have to get along with the continuing presence and activities of his predecessor in Tunisia, Olivier Poivre d'Arvor. Although he returned to France on 31 August, Poivre d'Arvor has made no secret of his plans to stay in Tunisia, where he has already bought a home. He was unable to complete work on his grand project of organising the summit of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) - which has been put back to March 2021 - but will be able to continue playing a role in Franco-Tunisian relations, notably via the Club des Deux Rives, which he co-founded in late 2019 with Conseil des Alliances Francaises chairman Mohamed Aïssaoui, former Utica employers' body chairwoman Wided Bouchamaoui, consultant Karim Guellaty, who is very influential in Franco-Tunisian circles, and fashion designer Nathalie Garçon. The club, which plans to organise at least three dinners each year - the next one is to take place in Tunis on 26 November - has as its patron star French TV news presenter Patrick Poivre d'Arvor. He is the brother of the outgoing ambassador and has long been part of Tunisian society thanks to his friend and partner, cinema producer Tarak Ben Ammar.