Tunisian president rejects EU financial aid offer for curbing migration

TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisian President Kais Saied has rejected a financial aid offer from the European Union (EU) to support the country's efforts to curb the flow of migration from its shores, saying it contradicts the bloc's previous agreement with the country to secure the border.

The Tunisian Presidency said in a statement late Monday that Saied met with Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar and discussed the EU financial aid offer.

On Sept. 22, the European Commission said it would provide Tunisia with €127 million (approximately $133 million) in aid to help the country stem the flow of migration from its shores.

The president said the amount of the financial aid offer contradicts the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the EU three months ago.

"Tunisia rejects what the EU announced, not because of the small amount, but because the proposal conflicts with the memorandum of understanding signed in July," he said.

On July 16, Tunisia and the EU signed a memorandum of understanding on a comprehensive partnership package worth nearly €1 billion ($1.11 billion).

For years, North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco have witnessed attempts by irregular migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa, to reach Europe.

According to Tunisian authorities, over 37,000 irregular migrants were apprehended in 2022.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara