Italy and Tunisia have entered a new phase of migration cooperation, implementing a multi-pronged strategy that combines strict border enforcement with expanded legal entry channels and economic development projects. A key component is a new three-year memorandum effective January 2026, allowing 4,000 non-seasonal Tunisian workers to enter Italy annually under simplified visa procedures.
The agreement aims to address Italian labor shortages while offering a legal alternative to dangerous sea crossings. Data suggests a shift is underway: while over 66,000 migrants reached Italy by sea in 2025, arrivals from Tunisia plummeted to 4,841—a 75% drop from 2024 and a 95% decrease from 2023.
The broader “Rome-Tunis axis” operates on several levels. Italy has confirmed nearly 88,000 seasonal work permits for 2026, with Tunisia a priority country. Cooperation is also tied to the strategic Mattei Plan, funding projects in Tunisian education, agriculture, and energy, including the major Elmed electricity interconnector across the Mediterranean.
This operational shift follows a late December meeting in Algiers where Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya agreed in principle to establish a joint mechanism for the voluntary return of irregular migrants, aligning with upcoming EU asylum rules.
Despite the state-level coordination, human rights tensions persist. Organizations like Amnesty International continue to report abuses against migrants in Tunisia. In a recent development, several aid workers from the NGO Terra d’Asilo, including former director Sherifa Riahi, were released after imprisonment on charges of facilitating irregular migration.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
