Tunisia says it has already repatriated around 10,000 irregular migrants in 2025, mostly nationals from sub-Saharan African states, as the government intensifies efforts to manage migration flows and respond to mounting pressure from European Union partners to prevent departures across the Mediterranean.
Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti told parliament on Tuesday that the deportations were done under a voluntary return program supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). According to Nafti, weekly flights are being organized to send migrants back to their countries of origin.
He stressed that Tunis has repeatedly told its European counterparts that Tunisia “will not become a transit zone” for people hoping to reach Europe by sea.
Official figures show that in 2024, Tunisia repatriated about 7,200 irregular migrants through the same IOM-assisted scheme. Authorities say they plan to continue returns throughout 2025 until they significantly reduce — or ideally eliminate — the current pressure caused by the migrant inflow.
The North African country has been grappling with a steady build-up of migrants unable to move onward toward Europe. Humanitarian groups and residents say thousands of migrants, mostly from West and Central Africa, are currently sleeping in makeshift tent camps in areas like Amra and Jbeniana, after Tunisian authorities ramped up security and blocked sea crossings.
The tighter enforcement has led to a sharp drop in Mediterranean arrivals to Europe this year, according to the government — a development EU states have been watching closely as they continue to negotiate cooperation on migration control with Tunisia.
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Source:Africa Publicity
