Tunisia’s migration policy has come under intense scrutiny two years after the country signed a deal with the European Union aimed at reducing irregular migration. The agreement, which included a €100 million commitment to border management, has been condemned by human‑rights groups for its impact on migrants, especially those from sub‑Saharan Africa.
A recent Amnesty International report documents widespread abuses—torture, rape and unlawful detention—against migrants in Tunisia. It records 120 cases of abuse that appear racially motivated and specifically target black people. One Cameroonian national, Hakim, recounted being beaten and abandoned at the Algerian border by Tunisian officers in January 2025.
These violations have been linked to a February 2023 speech by President Kais Saied, in which he claimed sub‑Saharan migrants were part of a “criminal plan” to alter Tunisia’s demographic landscape. The rhetoric sparked a wave of violence against black people, with both police and civilians carrying out racist attacks. The African Union condemned the speech as “racialised hate speech.” Since then, the Tunisian government has suspended several rights groups, arrested journalists and activists, and expelled tens of thousands of refugees and migrants—predominantly black—to remote border areas with Libya and Algeria.
The European Union has faced criticism for its silence on these human‑rights abuses, despite providing substantial funding under the migration deal. The European Ombudsman has questioned the European Commission’s monitoring of the agreement’s impact on human rights, and Amnesty International has accused the EU of being complicit in the abuses.
The situation carries significant implications for the rights of migrants and refugees in Tunisia, as well as for the country’s relationships with the EU and other international partners. As the EU continues to support Tunisia’s migration policies, it faces mounting pressure to address the human‑rights concerns and ensure that its cooperation does not facilitate further violations.
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