The European Commission announced this Friday that it would begin to disburse “in the coming days” the funds provided under the agreement concluded in July with Tunisia with the aim of reducing the arrivals of migrants from the Tunisian coasts, reported the foreign press.
“The Commission is announcing today budgetary aid of 60 million euros for Tunisia and an operational assistance package on migration of around 67 million euros, which will be disbursed in the coming days,” said the Commission. European Commission spokesperson, Ana Pisonero, during a press conference in Brussels.
This aid of 127 million euros to Tunisia, in support of the memorandum of understanding, comes a few days after a visit by the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen to the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is experiencing an exceptional influx of migrants.
Between September 11 and 13, 2023, around 8,500 irregular migrants arrived in Lampedusa, more than the entire population of the small Italian island, located 150 km from the Tunisian coast.
The European executive announced that of the 105 million euros in aid provided for by this agreement to combat irregular migration, 42 million euros would be “allocated quickly”, to which are added 24.7 million euros planned as part of current programs, reports “Le Figaro”.
According to the same source, part of the aid will be used to rehabilitate boats used by the Tunisian coast guard. It is also intended for cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), to ensure the “protection of migrants” as well as for return operations of migrants from Tunisia to their countries of origin.
The memorandum of understanding between Tunisia and the EU was signed in July in Tunis in the presence of Ursula von der Leyen, accompanied by Italian heads of government Giorgia Meloni and Dutch heads of government Mark Rutte.
The partnership has raised criticism from NGOs and left-wing MEPs in particular, who denounce what they consider to be an “authoritarian drift” by Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed and the abuses suffered by sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia. While right-wing and far-right elected officials are calling for its implementation to be accelerated in the face of the massive arrival of migrants. (Anadolu)
