Updated 5.59pm with Foreign Minister George Vella's comments

Tunisia is an effective example of determination and bravery in the struggle to achieve stability, democracy and peace, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said today. 

President Coleiro Preca spoke after a courtesy call by Tunisian Foreign Affairs minister Khemaies Jhinaou.

The two discussed the "excellent" diplomatic, entrepreneurial and commercial bilateral relations between Malta and Tunisia.   

Mr Jhinaoui also conveyed the greetings of the Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, who met President Coleiro Preca when she visited Tunisia earlier this year.

President Coleiro Preca said she hoped Tunisia would have ever-greater success in bringing about its vision of an avant-garde and progressive North African and Mediterranean country. She also commended the country's help in solving ongoing refugee issues in the Mediterranean. 

University scholarship as a sign of solidarity - George Vella

Foreign Minister George Vella said that the Government would be offering a scholarship for a Master of Arts in Humanitarian Action at the University of Malta for the coming academic year, in sign of Malta's solidarity with the people of Tunisia. 

Dr Vella was speaking after he had met Mr Jhinaou for official talks this morning. Mr Jhinaou said that the fact that one of his first bilateral visits was to Malta underlined the importance Tunisia attached to deepening its relations with Malta. 

Dr Vella also announced that a Malta-Tunisia Joint Commission would also be reconvened, following a 2012 commission hosted by Tunisia. 

Malta would also be offering English language training to a number of Tunisian civil servants, as well as border management training. 

The two ministers also agreed to increase the frequency of bilateral exchanges between Malta and Tunisia on the margins of international and regional fora such as the 5+5 Dialogue and the UN General Assembly.