Summary:

On 16 July 2023, European Union (EU) leaders signed a “strategic partnership” deal with Tunisia, making good on promises to support the control of irregular migration through Tunisia.

The aid package includes 10 million euros to increase student exchanges, 65 million euros to modernize Tunisian schools, and 100 million to boost “coordination in search and rescue operation” and “cooperation on border management.”

On 19 July 2023, Tunisian Minister of the Interior Kamal Feki was in Rome to meet with his counterpart, Matteo Piantedosi. During their meeting, the two Interior Ministers confirmed plans to continue joint work on sea crossings disruption.

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In response to the deal, some European leaders have raised concerns about the vague nature of the agreement and the lack of accountability. They also criticized the nature of how the deals were reached with senior European Commission leaders partnering with other national leaders outside of a more inclusive approach with more disparate European voices.

The International Rescue Committee, a non-governmental organization that works with refugees, issued a statement expressing concern that steps to prevent migration through Tunisia could drive migrants to riskier routes and methods of migration.

Migration continues to be a divisive issue in Europe, with the Dutch government under Mark Rutte – one of the leaders present at the signing of the partnership agreement – recently resigning due to an inability to reach internal agreement on the issue of migration.

Outlook:  

While controversial, the EU’s deal with Tunisia is driven by domestic demand across Europe for action on migration. Recent violence clashes with police that broke out across France and other areas of Europe confirmed to many Europeans that the flow of migrants must be stemmed.

The deal communicates to European constituents that action is being taken, and will likely bolster the joint operations already taking place in the Mediterranean Sea and in Tunisia’s coastal cities. However, increased disruptions of sea crossings will only amplify the problem of where and how migrants in Tunisia will be housed and legally managed.

This issue recently came to a head as violence broke out between migrant groups and groups of local residents in Sfax culminating in a stabbing and the forced relocation of over 1000 migrants.

The issue of migration is likely to continue to be a destabilizing force in Tunisia, particularly as frustrations grow about the country’s economic crisis with few indications of solutions on the horizon.

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