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Africa News of Thursday, 27 February 2020

Source: bbc.com

How to say the name of Tunisia's PM without blushing

Elyes Fakhfakh managed to get his cabinet approved by MPs overnight Elyes Fakhfakh managed to get his cabinet approved by MPs overnight

The surname of Tunisia’s new Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh is causing some people to trip up when trying to pronounce it.

Do not on any account say “fak-fak”, which sounds rude in some languages, like English.

The BBC’s correspondent in Tunis, Rana Jawad, says the “kh” sound is quite guttural, which can also be difficult for some.

She says the best bet is to say “FaH-faK”.

This, she says, is the closest to the correct pronunciation, without insulting anyone.

Mr Fakhfakh’s cabinet was endorsed by parliament overnight - he and his ministers now face the daunting task of reviving the North African nation’s economy.