In Tunisia, the street food exists on every street corner, through snack stalls or even itinerant sellers of sandwiches, mlewis, a kind of pancake, and chapatis. However, when Habib el Bey starts a food truck successful during Ramadan, he was arrested for lack of authorization. The case has caused controversy in the country, because it reveals the lack of regulation in this sector which is attracting more and more young people.
With our correspondent in Tunis, Lilia Blaise
In the streets of Tunis, some passers-by recognize Habib, 27. During Ramadan evenings, in the middle of the popular district of Bab El Khadra, he launched a foodtruck concept of sandwiches with a special sauce and many activities.
A new concept in Tunisia that the photojournalist Yassine Gaïdi immortalized in pictures: “ I’ve never seen Bab El Khadra, lively enough, colorful enough, lively enough like those days, like that Ramadan. »
“ساحة السّحور بباب الخضراء” باب الخضراء كما لم تروه من قبل ، الساعة الثانية صباحاً .. 2h of the mat, Beb el Khadhra; …
Posted by Yassine Gaidi on Friday, April 29, 2022
But just after the photos appear on social media, Habib is arrested by the authorities. He does not have a license for his trade: “ I tried to get permission but never got a response and meanwhile the people who work with me need to make a living just like me, explains the restaurateur. We couldn’t wait, the month of Ramadan is the best month for this kind of activity, because people go out at night. Finally, there was the arrest and I understand the decision of the authorities. »
The shortcomings of the Tunisian bureaucracy
Habib doesn’t want to have any more problems with the authorities and he is ready to do things the right way… But his arrest has exposed the country’s administrative failures and bureaucratic problems that often block young entrepreneurs like Habib. “ This story did not discourage me, on the contrary, I see it as a challenge “, he says.
A challenge to push for the sector to be better regulated. Habib also wants to use his newfound notoriety to encourage other young people to get started in a country where the youth unemployment rate is 40%.
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