Tunisia's democratic revolution is "irreversible" and Germany will be stepping up aid to the North African nation, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in Tunis on Saturday, dpa reported.
If Tunisia succeeded in democratizing, it would become "an example to other countries in the Arab world," he said.
Just one day after Egypt's president Hosny Mubarak resigned, Westerwelle paid a one-day visit to Tunis and met with acting Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi as well as with members of what was formerly the political opposition.
Tunisia's former strongman Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was forced by the massive public protests to step down in mid-January.
Westerwelle said events in Egypt and Algeria, where there have also been anti-government protests, must not distract from Tunisia's needs.
"We will not forget that this democratic process began in Tunisia," he said.
Berlin pledged 3 million euros (4 million dollars) as a "democracy promotion fund" as well as 500,000 euros for student-exchange scholarships.
German business corporations are hoping trade will grow. Some 260 German firms operate in the North African country.
The German Foreign Ministry has relaxed a travel warning it put in place last month for Tunisia, saying it no longer advised against trips to the capital Tunis or the Mediterranean beach resorts.
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