In a statement released on Friday, February 24, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, strongly condemned “the shocking statements made by the Tunisian authorities against fellow Africans”.
“Statements that run counter to the letter and spirit of our Organization and our founding principles,” the statement said.
He indicated that the AU Vice-President and the AU Commissioner for Health received the Permanent Representative of Tunisia accredited to the African Union in order to express the serious concerns of the organization “about to the form and substance of the declaration targeting African compatriots”.
The AU reminded all members to honor their obligations under international law and relevant African Union instruments to treat all migrants with dignity, wherever they come from, s abstain from any hate speech of a racist nature, likely to harm people, and give priority to their safety and their fundamental rights.
He also reiterated the Commission’s commitment to support the Tunisian authorities in resolving migration issues in order to make migration safe, dignified and regular.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Tunisians Abroad reacted today, expressing its surprise and rejecting what was reported in this press release based on baseless sentences and accusations and poor understanding of the positions of the Tunisian authorities.
In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms the commitment of the Tunisian authorities to protect foreign residents of different nationalities and to combat the phenomenon of irregular immigration within the framework of Tunisian legislation and international and African treaties, without stigma.
