At the Heart of Mediterranean Migration Tensions, Tunisia Refuses to Become a Simple Transit Country
Between solidarity and structural limits, Tunisia calls on Europe to establish a new pact based on shared responsibility and to rethink migration, no longer as a threat, but as a shared opportunity.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Nafti, received the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, on Thursday, October 2, for a meeting focused on strengthening the Tunisian-European partnership, ahead of the 16th session of the Tunisia-EU Association Council scheduled for late October.
At the center of the discussions was bilateral cooperation in economic, scientific, cultural, and migratory fields. On the latter point, Tunisia took a firm stance. The minister reaffirmed the country's categorical refusal to be transformed into a "land of transit or stay for irregular migrants," calling for a renewed approach where legal migration becomes a lever for creating shared wealth and prosperity.
A Call for a "New Mediterranean Pact"
In a joint statement, Mohamed Ali Nafti emphasized that this partnership must be based on mutual respect, reciprocity, and recognition of Tunisia's sovereign choices. He called for the development of a "new pact for the Mediterranean," a strategic framework capable of strengthening regional peace and security, while taking into account the specificities and realities of southern countries.
For her part, Dubravka Šuica highlighted the European Union's support for more than 400,000 jobs in Tunisia and the opportunities offered to its youth. She confirmed that the future Mediterranean pact would be accompanied by concrete action programs, in the short and medium term, based on mutual understanding and shared objectives.
Tunisia at the Helm of the "5+5 Defense" Initiative
Meanwhile, Tunis hosted the 17th meeting of the chiefs of staff of the armies of the member countries of the "5+5 Defense" Initiative, under Tunisian presidency. This instance, which brings together five Maghreb countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Algeria, and Mauritania) and five southern European countries (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Malta), aims to strengthen security in the western Mediterranean.
In his speech, Habib Dhif, Director General of the Intelligence and Security Agency for Defense, recalled the importance of cooperation in the face of common challenges: terrorism, cross-border organized crime, irregular migration, and maritime security. The meeting concluded with a statement reaffirming the member states' commitment to developing their military cooperation mechanisms and consolidating regional peace and security.
Migrants, Between Solidarity and Structural Limits
Beyond diplomacy, the migration issue remains a sensitive challenge for Tunisia. The country has never failed in its humanitarian duty. The most striking example remains the reception, in 2011, of nearly two million Libyan refugees fleeing the war. This surge of solidarity had demonstrated the ability of Tunisians to mobilize in emergency situations and share their resources, despite their own difficulties.
Today, Tunisia is still trying to treat irregular migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, who arrive on its territory with the aim of reaching Europe, with dignity. Emergency reception and assistance devices are put in place, but the country's means are limited. Medical, social, and security care far exceeds its financial and logistical capabilities.
Moreover, only a tiny fraction of migrants voluntarily accept assisted return to their country of origin. The majority remains in a precarious situation, exposed to smuggling networks, exploitation, and risks to their own security. This reality also represents a challenge for Tunisia's internal stability, which must find a balance between its humanitarian vocation and the preservation of its national interests.
Towards Shared Responsibility
Tunisia wants to reaffirm that it cannot bear this burden alone. The migratory flows that cross its territory exceed its capabilities, already put to the test by internal economic and social constraints. This is why it calls on its Mediterranean and European partners to build a collective and equitable approach, where responsibility is truly shared.
Behind this position lies a simple yet essential idea: no country can alone bear the weight of migration crises. Tunisia does not intend to shirk its solidarity duty — it has already proven it in the past — but it refuses for this duty to become an insurmountable burden. It advocates for a model based on shared responsibility, where each state contributes according to its means, not by turning a blind eye to human distress, but by offering sustainable responses.
In this vision, legal migration should no longer be perceived as a threat, but as an opportunity. An opportunity for young people seeking a dignified future, an opportunity for host countries seeking skills, and an opportunity for countries of departure that can, through their diasporas, nourish their development. In other words, migration can become a vector of mutual prosperity, provided it is organized, respectful, and shared.
