Ghannouchi spends a lot on improving its image

Asmaa El-Batakoushy

Rachid Ghannouchi, the leader of Tunisia’s Ennahdha Movement, the Muslim Brotherhood’s arm in Tunisia, has been seeking to improve his image in the United States and Britain. Mohamed Ammar, an MP of the Democratic Current, accused Ghannouchi of spending $1.83 million over the past 4 years, according to the US Justice Department.

Ammar said Ghannouchi had signed a contract with a British PR agency, owned by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to improve his image abroad.

The Tunisian Muslim Brotherhood signed a contract worth 100,000 euros with a foreign lobbying agency. Tunisia’s Muslim Brotherhood is one of Burson Cohn & Wolfe’s leading clients.

Burson Cohn & Wolfe provides Ennahdha with communication and political lobbying.

Tunisian analyst Belhassan al-Yahyawi said Ennahdha receives funds from foreign agencies and British civil society organizations. “Ennahdha seeks to mitigate the anger of Tunisian youth and improve its image,” al-Yahyawi told THE REFERENCE.

“Ennahdha cooperated with foreign lobbying companies in the last Tunisian elections. I signed a contract worth $18  million with a British PR agency,” he added.