The European Union and Tunisia signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday in Tunis for a “comprehensive strategic partnership” relating to the fight against irregular immigration, renewable energies and economic development of the Maghreb country. The deal includes €105 million in aid to fight illegal immigration and €150 million in budget support as Tunisia is strangled by a debt equivalent to 80% of its GDP and is cash-strapped .
This “assistance” from the EU is conditional on an agreement between Tunisia and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new loan from the Fund, a file blocked for months.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed the agreement arguing that it aims to “invest in shared prosperity”, referring to “five pillars”, including migration issues.
Tunisia is a departure point for thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe. Many arrive in Italy, the first point of contact with Europe.
The Italian heads of government Giorgia Meloni and the Dutchman Mark Rutte – forced in recent days to announce the resignation of his government coalition, calling early elections in November – accompanied the European leader after an initial visit a month ago, during which they had proposed this partnership.
This is “an important new step to tackle the migration crisis in an integrated way”, said Giorgia Meloni, who invited the Tunisian president Kais Saied to participate in a summit on migration next Sunday in Rome.
The President of the Republic of Tunisia, Kais Saied, has indicated that the memorandum of understanding on the strategic and comprehensive partnership between Tunisia and the European Union must be accompanied, as soon as possible, by a series of applicable agreements, based on the principles in contained therein, emphasizing the willingness to imminently implement them. “Today we urgently need a collective agreement on inhuman migrations”, he specified, arguing that “the Tunisian people have provided these migrants with everything possible, with unlimited generosity, while many organizations, which should play their humanitarian role, have only come forward through press releases.”
“Tunisia doesn’t have intercontinental missiles and we don’t want them, but it has a sovereignty that transcends seas, oceans and continents. In Tunisia we are looking for a new sun to shine on the whole world”. “We are determined to meet the challenges of the present and look forward to a new future to fulfill the aspirations of every human being on earth,” said Saied. [Da Redazione InfoAfrica]
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