Summary:

Over the weekend of 4 and 5 March 2023, multiple sub-Saharan African countries completed repatriation flights, returning citizens concerned for their safety in Tunisia. Recent comments by President Kais Saied that singled out black Africans and the following spike in violence prompted multiple countries to organize repatriation flights for citizens no longer comfortable remaining in Tunisia. Mali, Guinea and Ivory Coast were among those that organized flights, returning several hundred citizens to their respective countries.

Multiple African leaders spoke out against the state of the dialogue around race and migration in Tunisia, raising particular concern with the nature of the President’s comments and their role in inciting violence. The African Union announced the cancellation of a conference on illicit financial flows that was to be held in Tunisia in mid-March.

On Sunday, 5 March 2023, President Kais Saied spoke to the press, announcing a series of measures meant to benefit sub-Saharan African migrants. The list of measures included the waiver of late fees for those who have overstayed visas in the event that they voluntarily return to their home country. Saied affirmed the fraternal relationship between Tunisia and the rest of Africa, referencing Tunisia’s founding membership in the organization that would eventually become the African Union.

Outlook:  

The announcement by the President, including the measures to benefit migrants, may help address the ongoing violence toward sub-Saharan Africans and appease pressure from rights groups. However, the risk of vigilante violence remains for sub-Saharan Africans. While many migrants – both legal and irregular – have been detained by official police and legal actions, many others have suffered abuse at the hands of Tunisian citizens. Our team will continue to monitor these developments and how the risk environment continues to evolve.

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