Tunisia – Agreement on immigration: President Kaïs Saïed refuses financial aid from the EU

Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed indicated that his country refused funds allocated by the European Union to Tunisia as part of the fight against illegal immigration. Their “insignificant” amount would go against an agreement concluded between the two parties.

First hitch in the contract signed in July between Tunisia and the European Union (EU) on the sensitive issue of migrants. Kaïs Saïed, the Tunisian President, in fact declared, Monday October 2 evening, that his country refused the funds allocated by Brussels, the amount of which “derisory” goes against the understanding between the two parties.

The European Commission announced on September 22 that it would begin to “rapidly” allocate the funds provided under the agreement with Tunisia in order to reduce the arrivals of migrants from this country. The Commission specified that of the 105 million euros in aid provided for in this agreement to combat irregular immigration, some 42 million euros would be “allocated quickly”. To which are added 24.7 million euros already planned as part of current programs.

“Tunisia, which accepts cooperation, does not accept anything resembling charity or favor, because our country and our people do not want sympathy and do not accept it when it is without respect “states a press release from the Tunisian presidency. “Consequently, Tunisia refuses what has been announced in recent days by the EU”, said Mr. Saïed who received his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nabil Ammar. He explained that this refusal was not linked to the “paltry amount (…) but because this proposition goes against it » of the agreement signed in Tunis and “of the spirit which reigned during the Rome conference”in July.