Nabil Ammar, the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Libya.
He emphasised the importance of promptly overcoming all challenges to prepare for major collaboration.
This occurred during a meeting with the new Libyan Ambassador to Tunisia, Mustafa Gdara, who presented his credentials. Ammar expressed his wishes for the success of his mission, and assured the ministry’s readiness to provide all necessary facilitations.
Both sides, during the meeting, affirmed the depth and strength of the historical ties that unite the two countries.
Earlier this month, Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi stated that cooperation with Libya and Tunisia has prevented the arrival of 121,000 migrants to Italy in 2023.
During a hearing in the Schengen Agreement Implementation Committee, Piantedosi revealed that 550 smugglers were apprehended in 2022 and 2023, as reported by the Italian news agency, ANSA.
Piantedosi pointed out that 157,000 migrants, including 17,000 unaccompanied minors, arrived in Italy last year, compared to 105,000 in 2022, with 14,000 of them being minors.
“There was a significant increase, but it was contained to less than 50% over the months. These figures do not align with the government’s objectives, but there could have been higher numbers if we had not implemented the measures we adopted in recent months,” he stated.
He further explained that the reception system has withstood the unusual influx, currently hosting approximately 140,000 migrants.
Libya and Tunisia serve as the main departure points for migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Italian coastline from North Africa.
Last month, Tunisia and Libya jointly announced plans to install surveillance towers along their shared border, to curb smuggling operations and combat organized crime.
Tunisian Interior Minister, Kamel El-Faqi and his Libyan counterpart Emad Al-Tarabulsi disclosed this initiative at a joint press conference held at the Ras Jedir border crossing.
Both interior ministers emphasised their collaborative readiness to enhance the capabilities of monitoring systems for border control. This joint effort aims to address various issues related to smuggling, human trafficking, and drug trade.