The Tunisian National Guard spokesperson, Houssem Jebabli, announced on Friday that since the start of 2023, the maritime guard has prevented about 55,000 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries from reaching European shores. Jebabli clarified that 80% of these interventions were “rescue and aid” operations at sea, while the rest were interceptions along the coast.
Tunisia serves as a major transit point for African migrants heading to European Union countries via sea. Over 80,000 sub-Saharan migrants are currently in Tunisia, according to security sources. This year, including Tunisian migrants, over 69,000 have been intercepted, alongside the arrest of over 1,600 human traffickers and intermediaries, Jebabli mentioned in his statement to the private radio station “Shams FM.”
Jebabli also noted that most interceptions occurred off the coast of Sfax, a primary launching point for irregular migration boats heading to nearby Italian islands. As of December 4th this year, 152,804 individuals have reached Italian shores, a significant increase from the same period in the previous two years. Most arrivals in Italy embarked from Tunisia, although Italy has noted a substantial decrease in numbers in recent months.
The issue of illegal immigration from Tunisia has been a significant concern in recent times. Tunisian President Kais Saied has taken a firm stance against undocumented immigration, particularly from sub-Saharan African countries, suggesting it’s aimed at altering Tunisia’s demographic composition. This has drawn criticism from human rights activists who view these comments as racially charged and aimed at creating an “imaginary enemy” to distract from domestic problems.
In response to the growing crisis, Tunisia has implemented stringent measures to curb illegal immigration. For instance, the Tunisian National Guard revealed that it foiled 88 illegal immigration attempts over just three days, highlighting the intensity of the situation. These operations included rescuing 1,131 immigrants from sinking vessels, indicating the perilous nature of these journeys.
On a broader scale, the European Union and Tunisia have signed a memorandum of understanding to combat irregular immigration. This partnership, which includes a financial aid package of 105 million euros, aims to prevent the departure of migrant boats from Tunisia to the EU and fight against human smugglers. It also facilitates the return of Tunisians in an irregular situation in the EU and the return from Tunisia to their countries of origin for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
The crackdown on illegal immigration in Tunisia has been substantial, with reports of many migrants, including women and children, being arrested and deported to remote areas on the borders with Algeria and Libya. These measures have been met with criticism due to the harsh treatment of migrants, raising concerns about human rights violations.
