UK’s Foreign Minister has signed a deal with Tunisia to target illegal migration [Getty]
The UK’s multi-million-pound deal with Tunisia to stem migration has drawn strong condemnation from human rights organisations, who argue that Tunisia cannot be considered a “place of safety” for migrants rescued at sea.
Under the terms of the agreement, the UK government has pledged up to £5 million for programmes in Tunisia aimed at “upskilling potential migrants” and encouraging them to stay home rather than risk dangerous journeys to Europe.
The government also pledged funding to the International Organization for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Returns and Reintegration (AVRR) programme, which helps migrants with no legal right to remain in Tunisia return to their countries of origin.
On a visit to Tunisia last week, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlighted these initiatives, presenting them as efforts to address what he called the “root causes of irregular migration” and reduce the flow of migrants attempting to reach the UK via the Mediterranean.
According to the Labour minister, the deal would boost the employability of potential migrants in their home countries, thus reducing their need to embark on perilous journeys to Europe.
Fears over human rights abuses
However, the proposal has been met with fierce criticism from human rights groups, who argue that Tunisia’s role in border control could jeopardise the safety of migrants.
Organisations have pointed to the Tunisian authorities’ long-standing record of human rights violations, including violence against migrants and refugees, particularly those from Sub-Saharan Africa.
The lack of a national asylum system in Tunisia, coupled with its failure to adhere to international refugee protection standards, has further raised alarm.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have issued joint statements condemning the EU’s ongoing cooperation with Tunisia on migration control, which mirrors previous partnerships with Libya that have led to widespread abuse.
In a statement, Amnesty said: “European policies are obstructing people’s rights to leave any country and to seek asylum, containing refugees and migrants in countries where their human rights are at risk.”
They have also slammed Tunisia’s use of violent tactics during maritime interceptions, including high-speed manoeuvres that risk capsizing boats, physical violence against migrants, and the use of tear gas.
The deal also comes after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Union and Tunisia in 2023, under which the EU committed significant financial resources to support Tunisia’s border management efforts.
This included the creation of a Tunisian Search and Rescue Region (SRR), designed to formalise Tunisia’s responsibility for maritime rescues and the disembarkation of migrants.
While the EU claims this is a step toward improving safety at sea, human rights advocates fear the SRR could serve as a tool for controlling migration rather than genuinely safeguarding lives
Human rights groups argue that the EU’s support for Tunisia’s border forces, which includes the provision of high-tech surveillance tools such as drones and night-vision equipment, is exacerbating the human rights crisis.
Experts from the United Nations have also expressed concern, reporting that at least 189 people died in the first half of 2024 while attempting to cross the Mediterranean, with hundreds more subjected to violent treatment by Tunisian authorities.
“We have received shocking reports detailing dangerous manoeuvres when intercepting migrants, refugees and asylum seekers at sea; physical violence, including beatings, threats of use of firearms; removal of engines and fuel; and capsizing of boats,” the experts said.
