Summary:

On 4 June 2024, Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani met Mauritania President and Chairman of the African Union (AU) Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani to discuss cooperation on the issue of irregular migration. 

                                        [mepr-show if=”loggedout”] Please login or purchase an InBrief membership to view the rest of this report [/mepr-show] [mepr-show if=”loggedin”]

The meetings, which included Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar and Minister of Economy and Planning Ferial Ouerghi, examined the potential for additional cooperation on irregular migration, which the leaders of both countries supported. The group also discussed the potential of working through the AU on potential efforts to address irregular migration. 

The Tunisian and Mauritanian delegations met in Seoul, South Korea where both sides were attending the Korea-Africa Summit.  

Both Tunisia and Mauritania have continued to make headlines through their agreements and cooperation with the European Union to address irregular migration, which has prompted growing concerns about human rights violations. In March, Mauritania reached an agreement with the EU to receive €210 million in exchange for reducing migrant flows. 

Outlook: 

As Tunisia continues to pursue results on the irregular migration issue, working with regional partners will be an essential step.  

Mauritania remains another critical stop for many migrants moving northward through the Sahel and ultimately to Tunisia, making them an important partner for coordination and collaboration. 

Both Tunisia and Mauritania are under growing pressure from the EU to address migration in exchange for security assistance and economic aid. Both countries have recently seen growing criticism regarding how their support from the EU is being used to treat irregular migrants poorly, in some cases violating their human rights. 

Irregular migration will likely continue to define regional dynamics in the Sahel and North Africa for the foreseeable future. 

[/mepr-show]

Explore our services or speak with our team of North Africa-based risk experts.