Tunisia: The European Union and Tunisia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a “strategic and comprehensive partnership” to deal with irregular migration. The partnership further seeks to boost economic ties between the bloc and the North African country, which lies on a major route for migrants and refugees travelling to Europe.
Tunisian President Mr. Kais Saied met with European Commission President Ms. Ursula Von der Leyen, Dutch Prime Minister Mr. Mark Rutte, and Italian Prime Minister Ms. Giorgia Meloni for renewed talks. The move comes amid a rising number of migrants and refugees departing from Tunisia and trying to reach Europe. Speaking at the Tunisian presidential palace, Ms. Von der Leyen hailed the accord as an investment in “shared prosperity and stability.”
“Tunisia and the European Union are bound by our shared history and geography, and we share strategic interests,” the European Commission President noted.
Mr. Saied remarked that there is the utmost need for a collective agreement on what he called “inhuman migration”, for which the Mr. Saied blamed criminal networks.
“This memorandum should be coupled at the earliest possible time with a set of binding agreements emanating from its principles,” the Tunisian President commented.
According to Mr. Rutte, the agreement would help combat human traffickers.
“It contains agreements on disrupting the business model of people smugglers and human traffickers, strengthening border control, and improving registration and return. All essential measures for bolstering efforts to stop irregular migration,” the Dutch PM posted on Twitter.
Mr. Meloni welcomed “a new and important step to deal with the migration crisis,” and invited Tunisia’s Saied to an international conference on migration on July 23.
In June 2023, the three leaders visited Tunisia, and the European Commission announced at the time that it was considering supporting Tunisia with an aid package of up to $1,010 million as the country is roiled by economic woes and rising numbers of migrants and refugees travelling through it as they seek to reach Europe.
According to Ms. Von der Leyen, the aid included a $11 million programme to boost student exchanges and $73 million in EU funding to modernise Tunisian schools.
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