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Tunis, the Tunisian capital, welcomed France and Germany’s Interior ministers who were on a diplomatic visit to strengthen security cooperation and tackle illegal immigration.
Tunis, the Tunisian capital, welcomed France and Germany’s Interior ministers who were on a diplomatic visit to strengthen security cooperation and tackle illegal immigration.
Ministers Gérald Darmanin and Nancy Faeser, who were received by their Tunisian counterpart Kamel Feki, wanted to deepen security cooperation with Tunisia, in areas that include information sharing and cooperation between [intelligence] services. This, he said, would help to combat what they described in a joint statement as a scourge that affects all(the three countries, France, Germany, and Tunisia).
With migrant departures from Tunisian shores having risen sharply since the beginning of 2023, the EU and its member states are seeking ways to control the phenomenon more effectively. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited the Tunisian capital and announced that Tunisia would receive 100 million euros in aid for border control, search, and rescue. The funding is part of a wider plan that could see an investment of up to 900 million euros.
Several Tunisian civil society and political leaders have criticized some of the outcomes of these visits. They accuse Tunisian officials of aligning with European interests instead of finding a more holistic approach to the migration crisis. As such, many observers in the country will be paying attention to the talks, particularly during the French and German ministers’ meeting with Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday.
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The EU funding, part of a larger financial aid package to boost the Tunisian economy, is contingent on the approval of the nearly US$2 billion IMF loan that has been under negotiation since last year. However, Tunisia’s president told the officials that his country doesn’t want to be Europe’s border guard or land of resettlement for migrants rejected elsewhere. But he insisted that from the Sahel region, there can be a minimum number of departures. France has privileged diplomatic relations with these countries, which can contribute, as Tunisia has requested, to preventing these irregular flows.
