The racist backlash has reignited scrutiny over a proposed €1bn-plus EU-Tunisia migration deal that would bolster Tunisia's security services and encourage frontline European states to send asylum-seekers back to the North African country. Tensions between Tunisians and migrants in Sfax reached a tipping point on 3 July after a Tunisian man was killed in clashes with sub-Saharan migrants. Sfax, Tunisia's second-largest city, has become a hub for sub-Saharan migrants because it is the closest departure point for Europe, just 190km from the Italian island of Lampedusa. Hostility grew in February when Tunisian President Kais Saied accused sub-Saharan migrants of being a demographic threat to the country. "The latest chunk of proposed funding (proposed EU-Tunisia migration deal) is a red flag."

Source: The North Africa Journal July 07, 2023 22:54 UTC