On Monday, President Kais Saied received Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, Azeddine Ben Sheikh, at the Carthage Palace to mark the 61st anniversary of Law No. 5, issued on May 12, 1964, concerning the ownership of agricultural lands in Tunisia.
At the outset of the meeting, the President highlighted the symbolic significance of this date and the law’s origins, which prohibit the ownership of agricultural lands by anyone who does not hold Tunisian citizenship.
According to a statement from the Presidency, President Saied discussed several historical milestones related to the management and allocation of agricultural lands, pointing to instances of unauthorized use and misappropriation. He instructed that a comprehensive land survey be undertaken in coordination with the Ministry of State Property and Land Affairs, recalling that a similar initiative was once proposed—not only for agricultural lands but for all state assets—before being abandoned, allowing many properties to fall into the hands of individuals without any legal entitlement.
The President also emphasized that numerous state-owned lands classified as private property should have their leasing procedures simplified in favor of founders of communal companies. Many of these lands, he noted, are either neglected or exploited without legal basis. These lands, he insisted, should instead be allocated to young Tunisians who are eager to work and capable of innovation in the agricultural sector—not only to achieve self-sufficiency but also to tap into vast international markets, bringing widespread prosperity to the nation.
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