Summary:

On 17 April 2024, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni conducted an official visit to Tunisia, meeting with President Kais Saied as migration attempts from Tunisia to Italy have surged with the onset of warmer of spring weather. 

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As part of the visit, Italy announced three financial investments, including $105 million in credit to the Tunisian state as well as additional credit programs totaling $100 million that would be between investments in energy and Tunisian small and medium businesses. 

Italy’s continued investment in Tunisia is driven by the large numbers of migrants departing from Tunisia and arriving in Italy by sea. However, Tunisia also plays a role in Italy’s Mattei Plan, a $5.5 billion plan for Italian investment in Africa. 

Outlook: 

PM Meloni continues to face pressure in Italy to produce tangible results in the form of lower migration numbers, however, her government remains heavily dependent on the ability of Tunisia to manage this challenge domestically. 

While some more hands-on security cooperation likely continues with Italian and other European partners, the task of effectively deterring and disrupting irregular migration is a massive undertaking for Tunisia’s security forces. The land and sea-based resources necessary to close the sea migration route are simply not available.  

Meanwhile, long-term investments as part of Italy’s Mattei Plan hold little promise of short-term results on migration but serve to communicate Italy’s commitment to holistic development in Africa beyond equipping security forces to intercept migrants. 

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