Tunisia is one of the main transit points for local illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe. Between January and September 2023, more than 14,000 Tunisian migrants reached European shores illegally, according to national data.
Tunisia and Italy signed an agreement on October 20 allowing the creation of new regular migration routes between the two countries, following a working meeting between the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nabil Ammar. (photo, right), and his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani (photo, left), in Tunis.
According to the press release from the Tunisian ministry, this agreement aims to offer each year, to 4,000 qualified Tunisian workers, the opportunity to work in Italy over a period of three years.
This initiative is part of a global approach by the two countries to “promote legal migration, combat irregular migration and human trafficking while allowing young Tunisians to access employment opportunities in Italy,” the briefing note said.
A few weeks ago, this North African country, one of the main transit points for local illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, refused financial aid from the European Union in within the framework of a migration agreement. According to the Tunisian executive, this aid went against the signed agreement and the “spirit” that reigned during the Rome conference on the management of migratory flows, held last July. Indeed, Tunis and Brussels had concluded an agreement of nearly $105 million in aid aimed at combating irregular immigration with nearly $42 million that would be “allocated quickly.”
As a reminder, Tunisia is currently facing a complex socio-economic situation marked by negotiations with the IMF, soaring prices and disagreements with the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT). In the first quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate stood at 16.1% compared to 15.2% in the last quarter of 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics.
According to data from the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), since the start of 2023, more than 14,000 Tunisian migrants have reached European shores illegally.
