EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised Tunisia extensive financial aid. The partnership must also be strengthened and an agreement to limit migration agreed.
During negotiations between the EU and Tunisia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised the North African country €900 million in aid. They could be made available once a deal is struck with the country, she said.
Von der Leyen traveled to Tunisia with the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. The country, which is going through a deep economic crisis, is an important partner of the EU in preventing migration.
According to plans, the EU could immediately provide Tunisia with an additional €150 million in budget support, von der Leyen said. She described the visit as “an important milestone in the relationship” with Tunisia. According to Meloni, the planned memorandum could be finalized before the European Council later this month.
100 million euros for border management
In addition to financial support, the modernization of the EU’s trade agreement with Tunisia, a partnership in the area of renewable energy and migration issues were discussed, said von der Leyen. Both sides are very interested in “breaking the cynical business model of smugglers and human traffickers”. They are working together in an “operational partnership to combat human smuggling”.
The EU will provide Tunisia with €100 million this year for border management and search and rescue operations.
Tunisia rejects role as border police
Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Saturday that migrants are “victims of a global system” that treats them not as people but as numbers. The country cannot, as some countries would like to see it, be “the guardian of its States”.
Meloni pledged continued support to Saied to ensure that Tunisia receives the $1.9 billion loan promised by the International Monetary Fund in 2022. IMF board approval for disbursement is pending.
Italy has repeatedly spoken out in favor of liberation to stabilize the North African country. This year, more migrants from Tunisia or via Tunisia have arrived in Italy than in years. In April, therefore, it declared a “migration emergency”.