Tunisia Repatriates 10,000 Migrants Amid EU Pressure to Curb Crossings

Tunisia Repatriates 10,000 Migrants Amid EU Pressure to Curb Crossings
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Tunisia has repatriated around 10,000 irregular migrants so far this year, most of them from sub-Saharan African countries, Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti said on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters. The returns were conducted under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with weekly flights organized to help migrants return home.

Nafti told parliament that Tunisia has made clear to its European partners that it “will not become a transit zone” for migration to Europe. Official data show that about 7,200 migrants were repatriated in 2024 under the same initiative, and the government plans to continue the process in 2025.

Thousands of migrants remain stranded in southern Tunisia, living in makeshift camps near towns such as Amra and Jbeniana after being prevented from crossing the Mediterranean. Authorities say tighter border controls have led to a sharp decline in arrivals to Europe this year.