The President of the European Commission affirmed that the EU is ready to provide Tunisia with 100 million euros to spend on border management, search and rescue, anti-smuggling measures and addressing migration issues.
From right to left: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Tunisian President Kais Saied, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. (Source: agenzianova)According to Reuters, on June 11, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union (EU) is ready to mobilize up to 900 million euros to support the Tunisian economy , plus 150 million euros in immediate budget support after "reaching the necessary agreement."
Speaking during her visit to Tunisia, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen affirmed that the EU is ready to provide Tunisia with 100 million euros to spend on border management, search and rescue, anti-smuggling measures and solving the migration problem.
However, ahead of the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Tunisia due to concerns about the increasing number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, Tunisian President Kais Saied said on June 10 that his country would not accept becoming a border guard for other countries.
During a visit to the port city of Sfax, a departure point for migrants trying to reach Italy by boat, President Saied said: "The solution will not be detrimental to Tunisia... we cannot be the protectors of their country."
Credit rating agency Fitch on June 9 downgraded Tunisia's debt further to "junk" status, highlighting the possibility that the country will default on its loans, causing a collapse of public finances and potentially widespread hardship.
European countries fear that will add to the wave of migration across the Mediterranean this year, especially from Tunisia.
But the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout has been stalled for months, with Saied refusing to implement the economic reforms needed to unlock the loans. Donor countries have urged him to change course, and Italy has urged the IMF to finalize the loan.
Dangerous Mediterranean crossings spiked after President Saied announced a crackdown on sub-Saharan migrants in February using language denounced by the African Union as racist./.
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