doi:10.7916/smsd-bs38Oral history interview with Noureddine Zekri, 2015Zekri, Noureddineoral historiesmixed materialArab Spring, 2010-Terrorism--TunisiaTunisia Officials and employeesTunisia History Demonstrations, 2010-Tunisia Politics and government 1987-2011Tunisia Politics and government 2011-Tunisia Economic conditionsZekri, NoureddineJomaa, MehdiBin ʻAlī, Zayn al-ʻĀbidīnNoureddine Zekri describes how government units operated under Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, stating that many were quite independent of Ben Ali himself. After the Tunisian Revolution, Zekri headed the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, which attempted to resuscitate declining rates of foreign investment, local investment, and tourism. He enumerates the crucial actors in Tunisia's transition, who were supported in their efforts by former president Habib Bourguiba's policies and investments. He describes Tunisia's business environment since the 1980s, with an imbalance in investment across regions and lack of opportunity. Zekri discusses the link between informal trade and terrorism, especially with respect to weapons and drugs. He emphasizes economic challenges in the transition, including finance reform, negotiating trade deals and visa programs with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Union (EU), improving conditions for foreign businesses, and re-orienting towards African markets. Foremost, he thinks Tunisia must signal a newfound stability to potential investors, but continued terrorist threats are an obstacle. Zekri narrates his recruitment to Mehdi Jomaa's cabinet, and his prior working relationship with Jomaa during his tenures at the Ministry of Industry and Hutchison