2023-06-25 08:40:04
The sinking of a boat of 750 migrants on June 14 off the coast of Greece has once again shown that many people continue to flee their country. They are now using new migratory routes, which notably pass through Tunisia and eastern Libya.
Many Syrians, Egyptians and Pakistanis were on the boat that sank in the Mediterranean. Nationals of these countries have previously mainly taken the Balkan route. They are now turning to another route, that of eastern Libya. This new axis has been favored for a year, estimates the International Organization for Migration.
Candidates for exile are flown directly from Syria to Libya. The Syrian company Cham Wings Airlines, which operates these routes, would even entice customers on social networks by offering visas for Libya to its passengers, explains the spokesperson for the UNHCR in Libya, interviewed by RFI.
From the city of Tobruk, located east of the Libyan coast, they set sail. The journey takes five days to Italy or Greece. This journey is longer than other routes, but generally safer. As a result, it is also more expensive, according to NGOs.
General Haftar, who holds the east of the country, would control its coasts less than the government of Tripoli in the west, which signed a migration pact in 2017 with the Europeans. However, this could change, since General Haftar recently visited Italy to talk about illegal immigration.
The role of Tunisia
The Europeans are also discussing with Tunisia to strengthen the fight against immigration. The French and German interior ministers were visiting Tunis earlier this week. In concrete terms, the European Union has offered Tunisia long-term aid of 900 million euros, and 150 million euros “immediately”, to deal with the migration crisis.
“Tunisia is seen as a partner of the European Union both to reduce departures, but also for possible returns”, explained in Forum Sarah Prestianni, advocacy director at Euromed Rights, a network of 68 defense organizations. human rights.
This specialist notes, however, that a fundamental fact is not taken into account in this approach: “Tunisia is not a safe country today and it is very dangerous to collaborate with it.”
“Open legal channels”
For Sarah Prestianni, the essential is elsewhere: “Europeans should rather dialogue with Tunisia in relation to fundamental rights, the rule of law, freedom of expression. Today, the country is also experiencing an authoritarian drift important. Making an agreement only on migration could open a blackmail of Tunisia and lead to violations of fundamental rights.”
And to conclude: “The only way to prevent these deaths from occurring off the Mediterranean is to open safe legal access routes.”
>> Sarah Prestianni’s interview in Forum:
The role of Tunisia in migration in the Mediterranean: interview with Sarah Prestianni / Forum / 4 min. / Monday at 6:00 p.m.
Radio subjects: Céline Tzaud and Pietro Bugnon
Adaptation web: Antoine Schaub
1687687023
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