More than a year after the press release from the Presidency of the Republic on the horde of migrants who threatened the demographic balance of Tunisia, violations against sub-Saharan migrants continue according to a press release from Tunisian NGOs.
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With our correspondent in Tunis, Lilia Blaise
In a press release published at the beginning of April, a collective of Tunisian and international NGOs warned of the situation of migrants in Tunisia. They denounce a security and repressive policy carried out by the Tunisian authorities without taking into account the human dimension of the situation of sub-Saharan migrants in the country.
Great reportTunisia: the nightmare continues for thousands of sub-Saharan migrants
While irregular departures towards Italy have resumed in recent days with numerous interception and rescue operations of migrant boats, the situation of sub-Saharan migrants seeking a departure for Europe remains more precarious than ever in Tunisia.
Meloni returns to Tunisia
Migration flows continue in the country, a place of transit and hub for irregular departures to Italy. In Sfax in the east of the country, many sub-Saharan migrants have been chased out of the city center and have been living for several months in the region’s olive groves. They are often victims of abuse and live in very precarious conditions in makeshift camps. Monday April 7, the International Organization for Migration declared in a press release that it had distributed food, in partnership with the Tunisian Red Crescent, to nearly 7,000 migrants stranded in Sfax.
In this context, departures to Italy continue, more than 2,000 sub-Saharan migrants were intercepted at the start of the week during departure attempts. The Tunisian short-term security approach therefore seems to show its limits, according to a report from the Carnegie Middle East Center think tank published at the end of March.
In addition, the increase in departures from Tunisia worries Italy. Georgia Meloni, the head of the Italian government Georgia Meloni will visit Tunisia for the third time next week according to Italian media. On the agenda, irregular migration as a priority, while last March, the drastic drop in departures of migrant flows from Tunisia delighted Italy. With the climate and milder temperatures of April, departures have resumed with a vengeance.
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