Amid the continued spread of malicious allegations and the circulation of false and misleading news that do not reflect the reality of the Tunisian position and our country’s approach towards the issue of migration and irregular migrants, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad reaffirms Tunisia’s firm commitment to humanitarian principles and its full respect for the International Charters guaranteeing the rights and dignity of human being.
Aware of the complexities associated with the phenomenon of irregular migration, Tunisia adopts a balanced approach that combines the duty to protect its borders, enforce the rule of law, and assume its responsibility to respect its international commitments, while taking humanitarian measures to preserve the rights of irregular migrants to be protected from criminal human trafficking networks that exploit their precarious situation.
In this context, Tunisia emphasizes that a just and comprehensive approach to this phenomenon requires a focus on addressing the real causes that underlie it and not reverting to purely security solutions, by strengthening cooperation with all regional and international partners and working on a participatory and solidarity basis to implement sustainable development policies and approaches that would provide real alternatives to irregular migration.
Tunisia also seeks to ensure a voluntary return in decent conditions for irregular migrants to their countries and calls for securing opportunities for their reintegration into their communities of origin within the framework of respecting their rights, in cooperation and coordination with competent international and regional organizations.
At the same time, Tunisia continues its tireless efforts to combat human trafficking networks that exploit the situation of irregular migrants on dangerous journeys. Tunisian security and judicial services are working to strengthen prevention, prosecution and accountability mechanisms to ensure the dismantling of these networks and the prosecution of those involved, in accordance with the law and Tunisia’s international commitments to combat all forms of organized crime.
Tunisia also reiterates its absolute rejection of all forms of discrimination, hate speech and the exploitation of the suffering of irregular migrants for narrow purposes and interests. Tunisia emphasizes that as much as it adheres to the sovereignty of the Tunisian State and the enforcement of respect for the law, it is also keen to treat these migrants in a manner that recognizes the human values of the victims of these criminal networks spread in sub-Saharan Africa and the northern Mediterranean Sea.
TunisianMonitorOnline
