With Tunisian participation.. an international conference on irregular migration hosted by Rome

Tunisian President Kais Said is visiting Italy to participate in an international conference to discuss Combating irregular migration A week after signing a memorandum of understanding with the European Union.

The Italian capital, Rome, will host an international conference on “development and migration” today, Sunday, with the participation of countries from Europe, the southern Mediterranean and Africa.

The Italian government said in a statement that the conference aims to “regulate the phenomenon of migration, combat human trafficking and promote economic development according to a new model of cooperation between countries through joint planning and implementation of initiatives and projects in six main sectors: agriculture, infrastructure, education and training, health care, water and the environment.”

The statement indicated that the participants in the conference are leaders from the southern Mediterranean countries, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Africa, the European Union and international financial institutions.

Increased flow of immigrants

The Tunisian president had earlier called for an international conference to address the problems of irregular migration, after the increase in the flow of immigrants from sub-Saharan African countries to his country.

Tunisia has become a major departure point for irregular migrants to the European coasts.

Tunisia signed a “comprehensive and strategic” memorandum of understanding with the European Union that includes economic development, renewable energies and combating irregular migration.

Organizations criticized the partnership agreement and expressed their fear that Tunisia would turn into a policeman to guard the European coasts, but President Said stressed that his country would not be a “guard for other countries” and that it would “not be a country of transit or a place of settlement.”