Tunisia Repatriates Migrants as Voluntary Return Programme Expands

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Tunis: Tunisia repatriated 91 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on Tuesday under a government-run voluntary return programme that has helped nearly 5,000 people return to their home countries over the past year, authorities said.

Officials said the pace of returns has accelerated in recent months, with dedicated flights now operating almost daily compared with monthly departures when the programme began last year.

The initiative is separate from the voluntary return scheme run by the International Organization for Migration, which has facilitated the return of about 27,000 migrants from Tunisia over the past three years.

Tunisia remains a major transit country for migrants seeking to reach Europe across the Mediterranean. However, the government's migration policies have drawn criticism from rights groups, which have reported poor living conditions in migrant camps and alleged arbitrary arrests of migrants.

The issue has remained in the spotlight since 2023, when comments by President Kais Saied about irregular migration triggered concerns over rising hostility toward sub-Saharan African migrants in the country.

The European Union has strengthened cooperation with Tunisia on migration management in recent years as part of efforts to reduce irregular crossings to Europe.

Pic Credit: AFP