Latest news with #JoeyHood
Babnet
14-07-2025
- Business
- Babnet
Strengthening U.S.-Tunisian Economic Ties: High-Level Meeting Between UTICA and American Delegation Focuses on Investment, Trade, and Strategic Partnerships
Mr. Samir Majoul, President of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts (UTICA), received on Friday, July 11, 2025, at the organization's headquarters in the capital, Mr. Joey Hood, Ambassador of the United States of America to Tunisia, and Mr. David Hamod, President of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC), in the presence of several members of UTICA's national executive board, senior officials of the Union, representatives of various economic sectors, and the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Tunisia. During the meeting, both parties reviewed the long-standing economic relations between Tunisia and the United States, stressing the importance of building an economic partnership that serves mutual interests and benefits both countries. Mr. Samir Majoul reaffirmed Tunisia's ongoing efforts on all fronts to become an ideal destination for both national and foreign investment, and its ambition to establish international partnerships and strategic projects in various key sectors. These include energy and particularly renewable energy, due to its potential to drive sustainable development, as well as promising sectors such as sustainable agriculture, agribusiness, information and communication technologies, the digital economy, higher education, scientific research, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, handicrafts, textiles, logistics, and mechanical and electrical industries. These sectors, he emphasized, have high export potential and the capacity to create jobs. He highlighted UTICA's commitment to strengthening U.S. investments and expanding trade cooperation with the United States toward Africa, the Arab world, and Europe. Mr. Majoul also underscored the high quality of Tunisian products such as olive oil and dates, as well as their unique health and environmental benefits. He stated that Tunisian olive oil, thanks to the diversity of its varieties and the richness of its soil and climate, is a high-quality natural product that contributes to carbon absorption, making it supportive of healthy diets and environmental sustainability. He warned that imposing customs duties on Tunisian exports to the U.S. market—such as olive oil, dates, textiles, and handicrafts—would negatively affect Tunisian exporters and American consumers alike, as these tariffs would drive up product prices. Mr. Majoul stressed the importance of developing U.S.-Tunisian partnerships based on trust and mutual interests, leveraging Tunisia's strategic location and its network of trade agreements. He noted that several promising sectors are ready to attract new investments and called for taking advantage of the complementarity between American expertise and Tunisian capabilities to develop joint projects, including those targeting third markets in Africa, Europe, and the Arab world. For his part, U.S. Ambassador Joey Hood affirmed the two countries share a common history that serves as a solid foundation for future relations. He emphasized the existence of numerous opportunities that require joint efforts, and acknowledged current challenges such as the trade deficit and customs duties imposed on Tunisian exports. He called for continued collaboration and the development of practical strategies to address these issues. Mr. David Hamod, President of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, highlighted that the U.S. market is not a single market but rather 50 diverse markets across 50 U.S. states, which necessitates greater marketing efforts to introduce American consumers to the variety of Tunisian products. He called for better exploitation of these trade opportunities. The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of American investment in Tunisia and the mutual desire to encourage U.S. investment in Tunisia, as well as enhance Tunisian investment opportunities in the U.S. market. UTICA representatives presented the diversity of Tunisia's industrial fabric, the competitiveness and excellence of its sectors, the efficiency of its human resources, and its openness to innovation and technology. They emphasized Tunisia's ability to integrate into global value chains and highlighted the evolution and expansion of Tunisian startups toward the U.S. market. They also discussed the possibility of moving toward targeted bilateral agreements that focus on specific sectors and opportunities. The meeting concluded with a review of efforts by the American Chamber of Commerce in Tunisia to find solutions to the potential impact of tariffs on Tunisian exports, in coordination with UTICA, several universities, and professional chambers, along with the idea of organizing cultural days to promote awareness of the historical bilateral relations between Tunisia and the United States.
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Meets US Counterpart
Saudi Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia Dr. Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Saqr met at the embassy headquarters with United States Ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood. During the meeting, the two ambassadors reviewed bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
USA Today
05-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
MS House passes DEI ban. See who would be impacted
Hear this story A bill to ban Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, from public schools and public colleges in Mississippi has passed the House, and the Mississippi Senate is slated to take up its own DEI ban legislation in the coming days. After heated debate and opposition from House Democrats, who staved off the final vote for House Bill 1193 for as long as they could, the measure passed 74 in favor and 41 against, strictly along party lines. Only one member of the chamber cast a "not voting", while four House representatives were counted as absent. Before it passed, the House Judiciary A Chairman and bill sponsor Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, faced heated opposition from House Democrats who pleaded with members not to vote for the measure. House Minority Leader Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, said the political move serves only to discriminate against minority groups in the state. Anti-Trump protests at MS Capitol:People gather at MS Capitol to protest Donald Trump, Project 2025. See what was said Jay Lee remains found:Human remains found in Carroll County confirmed to be Ole Miss student Jimmie 'Jay' Lee Several amendments were also offered on the bill by Democrats, but they all failed. "This has nothing to do with anybody being discriminated against. This has more to do with a racist concept," Johnson told the Clarion Ledger after the vote. "The fact that the state of Mississippi is passing a piece of legislation that trifles with racist tropes and concepts is disappointing to me, and the fact that the leadership endorses racist concepts in the state of Mississippi, is not anything that lends itself to progress." In a somewhat rare move, one House Democrat even motioned for the bill to be read, which is a local form of filibuster. The bill was then played aloud to the chamber at a quicker than intelligible speed. DEI in Senate:Senate bill banning DEI offices on Mississippi college campuses passes committee Hood, in response to several House members concerns, simply disagreed with the assertion that the bill would discriminate against minority groups or seeks to dismantle their protections. He argued the bill supports an inclusive environment. "(We) can continue to work through the process as we go and send it down there to the Senate," Hood said before the bill was voted on. "We will continue to work on it, hopefully the Senate will take it up and pass it." The Senate is also slated to address its own DEI ban legislation, University and Colleges Chairwoman Nicole Boyd, R-Oxford, told the Clarion Ledger after the House vote. Boyd, who was present in the House chamber during the debate between Hood and House Democrats, declined to comment on HB 1193's passage. It would also include private schools. If the House version were to pass through both chambers, it would prohibit public schools or colleges from establishing or having DEI programs, prohibit the use of diversity statements in hiring, training or other materials. The bill would also designate public schools, the Institutions of Higher Learning and state community colleges board to only promote that there are two genders within written materials. Every year, those agencies and boards would have to submit written reports detailing its compliance to the governor and the legislature. The Attorney General would also have the responsibility of enforcing compliance of the proposed law. If the government agencies do not comply, their funding could be withheld from them until they do. The bill came before the House as states around the country are considering anti-DEI legislation. Diversity, equity and inclusion offices on college campuses have long faced scrutiny by the Republican Party, but the backlash reached a fever pitch during President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign. While on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to eliminate DEI efforts. During his first week in office, Trump signed executive orders to shutter DEI offices within the federal government. Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature and state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@ or 972-571-2335.
