WB to help Tunisia recover ousted president's assets

TUNIS - The European Union, the World Bank and Switzerland pledged to facilitate recovering the assets of former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family, the official press agency TAP reported Thursday.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Swiss President Micheline Calmy Rey, and Vice Chairman of the World Bank Janamitra Devan have announced the creation of an asset recovery support team for the North African country.

The announcement was made during the first meeting of a Tunisian-EU economic task force, which, chaired by Ashton and Tunisian interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, aimed to help boost Tunisia's economy by promoting investments and addressing unemployment.

"The recovery of the assets is of crucial importance to close the chapter of abuses of the country's former regime," said Catherine Ashton, who also reaffirmed the EU support to the ongoing reform for a "new free and prosperous Tunisia."

The Swiss president suggested requesting the United Nations Security Council to decide sanctions against the former president and his family.