At a time when NGOs have been denouncing for several years the treatment reserved for sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, the European Union (EU) is accused of turning a blind eye to these abuses, in the name of the fight against illegal immigration on its soil. In any case, this is what a survey by the pan-Arab news site reveals Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, which speaks of close coordination between Brussels and Paris on this issue.
To understand this situation, we have to go back to July 2023, when Tunisia signed a memorandum with the European Union for border control in exchange for significant financial support.
In 2024, Brussels would have allocated an envelope of 208 million euros to Tunisia for “migratory management†, a large part of which financed the acquisition of equipment for the coast guard and the Tunisian police.
Maritime chases
The NGO Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights affirms that more than 66,000 migrants were intercepted at sea by the Tunisian coast guard in 2024, compared to 38,372 in 2022. At sea, the stories are consistent: increased aggressiveness of the coast guards, who no longer hesitate to track down the boats, while witnesses speak of maritime chases, deliberate collisions with makeshift boats, or even physical violence.
“Our dilapidated boat sank after leaving the coast of Sfax, in eastern Tunisia, towards Europe, with 45 migrants of different African nationalities on board. She lost her balance after a collision that occurred during a long pursuit led by maritime guard units against the boat transporting them, which led to the death of 23 migrants, including a girl under 5 years old… testifies a survivor.
In a report unveiled in November 2025, Amnesty International reports “high speed maneuvers causing strong waves threatening to overturn the boats†, carried out by the coast guards who attack the migrants with batons and send tear gas at short distances at the people on board the boats.
Pour Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, This passivity of the EU towards the excesses of the Tunisian authorities aims at a single objective, which flouts human rights: “Let migrants die far from borders [européennes].â€
Former MP involved in migration issues, Majdi Karbai believes that the European Union has de facto transferred to Tunis the mission of blocking departures to the Schengen area, while considering Tunisia as a “pays sûr†for returned migrants.
