German Interior Minister In Tunisia For Migration Talks
Terrorism and migration are at the top of the agenda for talks between German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Tunisia’s President Kais Saied and Interior Minister Kamel Fekih on Monday.
Faeser said she wanted to facilitate deportations to the North-African country but also to create more opportunities for Tunisian workers to migrate to Germany.
Faeser is on the second day of an official visit to Tunisia with her French counterpart Gérald Darmanin.
Tunisia is currently one of the most important transit countries for irregular migrants who make their way to Italy on unsafe boats.
In the first five months of this year, some 26,000 people survived the dangerous crossing.
Tunisians who hoped for a better future in Europe were among those trying to make the journey.
The talks in Tunis would also deal with sea rescue, the German Interior Ministry said.
On Sunday, Faeser, who is in Tunisia for the first time as interior minister, visited a Federal Police project office in Tunis.
The German federal police have had a project in Tunisia since 2015, work together with Tunisian police, the National Guard and the border police.
Tunisia allowed collective deportations by charter flight.
However, there were difficulties in identifying undocumented Tunisian citizens.
In her first conversation with her counterpart, Faeser emphasised the “common goals and interests.’’
Fekih said this also included German direct investment.