Tunisia and Libya have emphasized the need to adopt a joint policy to address the issue of illegal immigration. This came during a telephone conversation between the Tunisian Interior Minister, Kamal Al-Faqi and his Libyan counterpart, Emad Al-Trabelsi according to the Qatari News Agency (QNA) on Saturday.
The Tunisian Ministry of Interior said that the two sides agreed on the importance of joint action to combat illegal cross-border infiltration, and illegal immigration.
The talks also dealt with bilateral cooperation with regard to security services that are provided across borders.
Notably, Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nabil Ammar, and his Libyan counterpart, Najla Al-Mangoush expressed their desire to address the issue, in compliance with relevant laws and treaties.
The officials also emphasised the humanitarian aspect of the issue and recognised the migrants as “victims of organised crime and human trafficking.”
The call is part of ongoing discussions between senior officials of both countries on matters of mutual interest, including migration, which is a transboundary issue affecting both northern and southern countries.
On Friday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Tunisia to put an end to the “collective expulsions” of Black African migrants to a desert area, near the Libyan border.
Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been left stranded in dire conditions in the south of Tunisia, since being driven out of the port city of Sfax in the past week, according to the AFP.
It comes against a backdrop of violence after the funeral of a 41-year-old Tunisian man who was stabbed to death in Sfax on Monday, in a brawl between Tunisians and migrants.
“Tunisian security forces have collectively expelled several hundred black African migrants and asylum seekers, including children and pregnant women, since 2 July, to a remote, militarised buffer zone at the Tunisia-Libya border,” HRW said.
“Many reported violence by authorities during arrest or expulsion,” it added.