EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised Tunisia extensive financial aid. The partnership is also to be strengthened and an agreement to limit migration agreed.
During negotiations between the EU and Tunisia, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised the North African country 900 million euros in aid. These could be made available once a deal is struck with the country, she said.
Von der Leyen traveled to Tunisia with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The country, which is in a deep economic crisis, is an important partner for the EU in preventing migration.
According to the plans, the EU could immediately provide Tunisia with an additional 150 million euros in budget support, said von der Leyen. She described the visit as “an important milestone in the relationship” with Tunisia. According to Meloni, the planned memorandum could be finalized before the European Council later this month.
100 million euros for border management
In addition to financial support, modernization of the EU’s trade agreement with Tunisia, a partnership in the field of renewable energies and migration issues were discussed, said von der Leyen. Both sides are very interested in “breaking the cynical business model of smugglers and human traffickers.” They are working together on an “operative partnership to combat human smuggling”.
The EU will provide Tunisia with 100 million euros this year for border management and search and rescue operations.
Tunisia rejects role as border police
Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Saturday that the migrants were “victims of a global system” that treated them not as people but as numbers. The country cannot, as some countries would like to see it, be “the custodian of their states”.
Meloni continued to pledge support for Saied to ensure Tunisia receive the $1.9 billion loan pledged by the International Monetary Fund in 2022. The approval of the IMF board of directors is missing for the disbursement.
Italy had repeatedly spoken out in favor of release in order to stabilize the North African country. This year, more migrants coming from or via Tunisia reached Italy than they had in years. In April it therefore declared a “migration emergency”.