President Ben Ali’s first prime minister of Tunisia, from 1987 to 1989, Dr. Hadi Baccouche was a leading member of the neo-Destour Party during the fight for Tunisian independence and afterward. A political Science graduate from the Sorbonne, Baccouche held senior positions under President Bourguiba as governor of Bizerte and Minister of Social Affairs, in addition to assignments as ambassador to Switzerland, the Vatican, and Algeria. He is currently a Councilor, or member of the upper house of Tunisia’s Parliament, and has served on occasions as Ben Ali’s special envoy to Algeria.

Reception to follow.