Algerian Interior Minister Ibrahim Murad announced that Algeria has agreed with Libya and Tunisia on a joint approach to develop border regions as part of efforts to combat irregular migration. This agreement was revealed during a quadripartite meeting held in Rome, Italy, chaired by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and attended by Imad al-Trabulsi of Libya’s Temporary National Unity Government and Tunisian Interior Minister Kamel Feki.
During the meeting, Murad emphasized the need to move beyond restrictive approaches that focus solely on operational, security, and administrative measures against irregular migration. He advocated for addressing the root causes of migration by adopting comprehensive, fair, and effective solutions.
The discussions, which Murad noted had been a focal point in recent talks between Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied and Libyan Presidential Council head Mohamed Younis Menfi, concluded with an agreement to develop a participatory approach. This approach aims at the development of border areas and harmonizing views on migration issues in the region.
Additionally, Minister Piantedosi called for regional efforts to halt secret migration caravans, stating, “Our strategic priority should be to strengthen land border stability starting from the Sahel region.”
The meeting also involved delegating specific tasks to enhance strategies for voluntary return assistance, facilitated by an upcoming monitoring room session, and information exchange to combat human trafficking networks, as outlined by the Italian Interior Ministry.
Despite challenging weather conditions, over 4,700 individuals landed on Italian shores in April, marking a 31% decrease from the previous month, according to UNHCR reports. With Libya and Tunisia being the principal countries of departure earlier in the year, Tunisia resumed its position as the leading departure country to Italy by sea in September 2023, accounting for 73% of the arrivals.
