EU considers €1bn deal for Tunisia to stem the flow of illegal migrants

Left to right: Georgia Meloni, Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Rutte and Kais Syed meet in Tunisia. Photo: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock

The European Union is mulling a €1 billion deal with Tunisia to stem the flow of illegal migrants and save the country from economic collapse.

During a visit to Tunisia, Ursula von der Leyen , the president of the European Commission announced that the bloc could help fight human smuggling and small boat crossings as part of the latest financial deal with the bordering country.

The announcement of the potential package comes a day after Qais Syed, the president of Tunisia, warned that his country would not become another border guard for Europe.

He said that the solution to the migration crisis «will not be at the expense of Tunisia … we cannot be on guard for their countries» ahead of the arrival of the joint EU delegation and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

< p>After the meetings with the President of Tunisia, it was it is announced that the money will be ready after the EU and Tunisia sign a partnership agreement, probably before the end of the month.

Tunisia is a gateway for migrants

A heavily indebted North African country in negotiations for an IMF loan, is a gateway for migrants and asylum seekers trying to make dangerous journeys to Europe.

Under the agreement, the EU can offer 900 million euros in aid. aid and an additional 150 million euros in budgetary support. According to Ms von der Leyen, the EU will also provide Tunisia with 100 million euros specifically to control its borders and fight migrant smugglers, as well as to conduct search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

“We both have a vested interest in disrupting the cynical smuggling business model. It's appalling to see them deliberately risking human lives for profit,” said Ms von der Leyen.

der Leyen (right) meets Georgia Meloni in Tunisia. Photo: Office of the Italian Prime Minister

Almost 54,000 migrants have arrived in Italy since the beginning of the year, half of them on wobbly boats from Tunisia, according to the Italian Interior Ministry. Tunisia has overtaken Libya this year as the largest departure point for migrants trying to reach Italy, the closest European country to Tunisia.

The surge in attempts to cross the border came after Mr. Said ordered security forces to expel all illegal migrants in February. , in response to what he called a plot to change the country's demographics and make it more African and less Arab.

The growing number of migrants arriving in Italy, especially those trying to cross the border from Tunisia, has alarmed the Italian government, led by right-wing prime minister Ms Meloni, who won elections last year on the promise of curbing illegal immigration from Africa.

< p>The EU made a similar deal with Turkey in 2016, providing the country with 6 billion euros in exchange for reducing the flow of migrants to Europe. The move follows the arrival of more than a million migrants in Europe in 2015, many of whom made it to Greece from Turkey and then from Northern Europe, crossing the Balkans.

In addition, Italy provided Libya with financial assistance and boat patrols for its Coast Guard over the past few years so that it can pick up migrants traveling illegally to Italy and bring them back to Libya.

Ms Meloni, who accompanied the President of the European Commission along with Mark Rutte, The Dutch prime minister said the package is also meant to help Tunisia reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a $1.9 billion bailout package in the near future. economic reforms needed to unlock credit.