The government officially launches the Dar Assabah–SNIPE merger La Presse

The government authorized the transfer of all the shares of Dar Assabah for the benefit of SNIPE La Presse, officially paving the way for the merger of the two institutions and the creation of a unified public center for the written press.

The head of government, Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri, chaired on Saturday morning, at the Kasbah Palace, a ministerial working session devoted to the file of the merger between the Tunisian Press, Printing, Publishing, Distribution and Advertising Company “Dar Assabah” and the New Printing, Press and Publishing Company “SNIPE La Presse”.

At the end of the meeting, it was decided, according to a press release from the Prime Ministry, to authorize SNIPE La Presse to acquire all of the shares in Dar Assabah for the symbolic dinar. This operation is part of the legal framework of the merger process between the two public press companies.

A second green light was also granted to SNIPE La Presse to formally initiate the merger procedure by absorption of Dar Assabah, in accordance with the legislation and regulations in force.

The head of government stressed that this merger process constitutes a decisive step towards the reconstruction of a unified national media institution, more solid and more capable of ensuring its sustainability. She called for the development of a global restructuring program aimed at reforming the new entity, improving its performance and guaranteeing the continuity of its publications.

This program should notably focus on strengthening internal governance, establishing appropriate organizational mechanisms, developing activities and means of production, as well as modernization and digital transformation, including the digitization of archives. A prospective business plan, with a precise implementation timetable, must also be developed.

During the opening of the session, Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri recalled the directions of the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, concerning the public media sector, in particular the written press. She referred to the two visits made by the Head of State to the headquarters of SNIPE La Presse and Dar Assabah, on March 11 and June 16, 2023, during which he insisted on the need to save the two institutions through their merger and restructuring.

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