Summary:

In mid-May, the Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi praised Tunisia’s efforts to stem the flow of irregular migrants to Europe following an official visit to Tunis. Piantedosi met with Tunisian President Kais Saied as well as his counterpart Kamal Feki as the surge in migration attempts by sea surged in early 2023.

Piantedosi’s visit came under the shadow of discussions around Tunisia’s economic future, including the issuance of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan that remains in negotiation. The IMF has continued to withhold loan approval pending the implementation of substantive reforms to Tunisia’s faltering economic system that remains heavily dependent on government subsidies across key industries.

Italian leaders have grown impatient with the reform process as domestic frustration with irregular migration has grown. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani have made increasingly direct calls for a short-term economic bailout of Tunisia which is not contingent upon the implementation of a reform program. Other voices, including the European Union, remain steadfast in insisting that reforms must come before the issuance of additional loans.

In mid-May, the foreign ministers of Tunisia and Italy signed an exclusive agreement that will allow as many as 4,000 Tunisian workers to be recruited for jobs in Italy. The program requires workers to achieve a certain level of training that will qualify them for legal work in Italy. The program is part of the broader effort to discourage irregular migration and promote legal options for migration to Europe.

Meanwhile, France also announced plans to expand visas available to Tunisians. The French Embassy in Tunis announced plans to open as many as 10,000 visa appointments per month for Tunisians seeking short-term visas to France. In 2022, 95,515 visa applications were submitted by Tunisians hoping to travel to France with 25,845 of them being refused.

Outlook:  

Despite criticism from many, Tunisia’s key security and economic partners have shown a positive response to recent efforts to control irregular migration. Italy remains highly motivated by domestic pressure to find a solution to Tunisia’s economic challenges, which are inextricably tied to the irregular migration issue.

While the IMF loan negotiation process continues quietly in the background, Italy has shown a willingness to make independent efforts to support domestic security and economic recovery in Tunisia. However, without a more comprehensive effort to reform aspects of the Tunisian economy, these efforts will continue to only provide short-term relief.

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