Anti-migrant sentiment in Tunisia puts people from Sub-Saharan region in peril

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

Tunisia, a key transit point for migrants attempting to reach Europe, has become increasingly hostile for migrants travelling from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background:

In 2023, President Kais Saied’s rhetoric against migrants, describing them as a demographic threat, triggered racially motivated attacks and expulsions of sub-Saharan migrants.
Migrants find themselves without aid due to the frozen asylum system and the government crackdown on migrant aid organizations.
President Saied accused aid groups of being “traitors and mercenaries” and of funnelling foreign funds to illegally settle migrants in Tunisia. As a result, many migrant aid organizations have either suspended or reduced their operations.
In June 2023, the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) stopped accepting new applications for asylum in Tunisia, citing instructions from the Tunisian government. Migrants are thus deprived of vital support and face increasing vulnerability.
Authorities continue to criminalize migrants and deny assistance, leaving thousands in dangerous and unstable situations, as reported by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).

Tunisia’s Role in Migration:

Tunisia serves as a significant transit point for thousands of sub-Saharan migrants attempting to reach Europe via the central Mediterranean route.
The Central Mediterranean Route primarily involves countries like Libya, Tunisia, Algeria as departure points for migrants attempting to reach Italy and Malta across the Mediterranean Sea.

Tunisia’s Collaboration with Europe:

European countries, particularly Italy, have increasingly collaborated with Tunisia to curb migrant departures. In 2023, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed an agreement with Tunisia worth 105 million euros to combat irregular migration.
As a result of this agreement, migrant arrivals to Europe from Tunisia via the Mediterranean fell by more than 50% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Despite the decline in migrant arrivals, human rights groups have raised concerns about violations in Tunisia, including mass expulsions of migrants and sale of migrants to Libyan armed forces and militias.

History of Racism in Tunisia:

Tunisia has a long history of racial prejudice, particularly against sub-Saharan African migrants and black Tunisians. This issue stems from the country’s colonial past and its complex racial dynamics post-independence.
Tunisia was once a French protectorate, and the social stratification created during the colonial era persists, with racial hierarchies often placing white Arabs at the top and black Africans at the bottom.