On Sunday, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani praised the Libyan-Tunisian agreement aimed at aiding migrants, describing it as a “positive step forward.”
Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) announced last week that it has successfully reached a consensus with Tunisia, to resolve the pressing issue of migrants stranded in the border region between the two nations.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, Tajani touched on the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) decision to grant Tunisia a sum of $2 billion dollars. He remarked, “One cannot expect Tunisia to single-handedly shoulder the immense challenge of halting migrant influx into Europe.”
Tajani further cautioned that “should Tunisia amplify its efforts in the region, the Mediterranean might tragically evolve into a migrant graveyard.”
Highlighting Italy’s collaborative stance, Tajani pointed out that Rome “is actively partnering with African allies, working diligently on the ‘Mattei Plan’ aimed at propelling the continent’s advancement.”
Concluding his statements, Tajani underscored the importance of establishing partnerships for extracting raw materials from African territories. He reiterated the need to “tread carefully, steering clear of any insinuations suggesting Italy as a neo-imperial power.”
Notably, the Libyan Ministry of Interior announced the recovery of 27 bodies of undocumented migrants, in the border area with Tunisia.
The Crime Scene Investigation team, affiliated with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), has begun working on the case. Meanwhile, the Border Security Administration has ramped up security patrols along the border desert region. The objective is to thoroughly search the area, and prevent further migrant flows.
The fate of dozens of sub-Saharan Africans near the Libyan border has become uncertain, as they claim that Tunisian authorities transported them from the city of Sfax earlier this month.
The Tunisian government then reportedly moved them to shelters in two towns. Human rights groups have said that dozens are still stranded in extremely difficult conditions, left thirsty and hungry, in an unprecedented heatwave.
Tunisian President, Kais Saied condemned illegal migration from sub-Saharan Africa in February, saying it aimed to change the demographic structure of Tunisia. Rights groups criticized these statements as racist. The African Union also criticized Tunisia, and urged it to “avoid hate speech.”
