In brief
In a speech in Tunis, Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti pledged that Tunisia would double down on efforts to prevent the country from becoming a transit hub for irregular migrants. The strategy balances security operations with humanitarian aid and addresses root causes of migration. Tunisia also aims to deepen cooperation with partner nations and the International Organization for Migration to facilitate safe voluntary returns and reintegration.
In Tunis, foreign minister Mohamed Ali Nafti announced on Thursday that Tunisia would intensify its fight against migrant smuggling networks and reject any attempt to turn the country into a transit or settlement point for irregular migrants.
Nafti said Tunisia will continue its efforts to protect national sovereignty, secure its borders, and dismantle human‑trafficking and smuggling rings, warning that the nation must not become a landing platform for asylum‑seekers.
The minister explained that Tunisia’s approach extends beyond security, incorporating humanitarian and development dimensions that respect migrants’ dignity and rights. The aim is to support regular and organized migration channels while combating irregular migration and addressing its root causes, specifically poverty, unemployment, and socio‑economic disparities.
"Tunisia will continue its efforts to combat migrant smuggling networks and rejects any attempt to turn its territory into a transit or settlement country for migrants, or a landing platform for irregular migrants and asylum‑seekers," Nafti told reporters, underscoring a balanced, comprehensive strategy.
Central to the plan is the belief that migration management must also solve the conditions that push people to leave home countries. The foreign minister highlighted that poverty, unemployment and unequal opportunities are key drivers that need to be tackled through development cooperation and job creation programs.
International Cooperation
Nafti called for stronger solidarity among origin, transit and destination countries, describing shared responsibility as the foundation for sustainable migration management. He urged partners to collaborate on prevention, detection and prosecution measures to reduce the flow of irregular migrants.
Meanwhile, the Tunisian government is strengthening coordination with the International Organization for Migration. The partnership focuses on voluntary return assistance and reintegration, ensuring that migrants who wish to return to their home countries are able to do so safely and with dignity.
As part of its broader strategy, Tunisia plans to continue monitoring and regulating migration routes while providing humanitarian aid to those who cross its borders. The ministry remains committed to working with international and regional organizations to address both the symptoms and the underlying causes of irregular migration, setting a multi‑faceted framework that is expected to shape future policy moves.
