Tunisia announced measures in favor of students and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on Sunday, March 5, after attacks and demonstrations of hostility against them sparked by a virulent speech by President Kaïs Saïed denouncing illegal immigration. The Presidency of the Republic, the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have announced “measures to improve the situation of foreigners in Tunisia and facilitate the procedures” for regularizing their situation.
They first decided to “issue one-year residence permits to students who are nationals of brotherly African countries to facilitate their stay and allow them to periodically renew their documents”. In addition, the authorities have decided to “extend residence certificates from three to six months” for people from many sub-Saharan countries, such as Côte d’Ivoire, who benefit from a three-month visa exemption at the entry into Tunisia.
Tunisia also wishes to “facilitate voluntary return operations within an organized framework and in coordination with their diplomatic missions”. These candidates for voluntary return will be “exempted” from penalties amounting to 80 dinars per month (25 euros), for some exceeding 1,000 euros. The authorities have also promised to strengthen support and health and social assistance to migrants through the Red Crescent, while seeking to “fight against all forms of human trafficking and the exploitation of irregular migrants” in through an intensification of controls.
“Outpouring of Hatred”
A toll-free number for “residents of fellow African countries” was created to “report any violations against them”. After 50 Guineans on Wednesday, around 300 Ivorians and Malians were repatriated on Saturday to escape what several witnesses described as “an outpouring of hatred” from statements by the Tunisian president.
On February 21, Mr. Saïed claimed that the presence of “hordes” of illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa was a source of “violence and crime” and was part of a “criminal enterprise” aimed at “changing the demographic composition ” from the country. After this speech, condemned by NGOs as “racist and hateful”, nationals of sub-Saharan Africa reported an upsurge in attacks against them and rushed by the dozen to their embassies to be repatriated.
Some 21,000 sub-Saharans are officially registered in Tunisia, most of them in an irregular situation. Dozens of them were arrested during police facies checks. Numerous physical attacks have been recorded and migrants have testified to NGOs that they have been chased and robbed by real “militias”.
