Anyone who heard Prime Minister Mark Rutte talk shortly after his return from Tunisia on Sunday would almost believe that the Netherlands and Europe see great economic opportunities in the North African country. He had traveled to Tunis with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni for a lightning talk with the government of autocratic President Kais Saied. The European Union (EU) wants to invest at least 1 billion euros in Tunisia, they stated earlier that day. The release of so much money to the economically distressed country should bring a migration deal between Brussels and Tunis closer.
Rutte acknowledged on the runway at Rotterdam Airport on Sunday that Tunisia is not the first African country that comes to mind when he thinks of a large economy. In fact, the country is in great need of IMF loans. They are not forthcoming for the time being because President Saied refuses to implement important economic reforms. Now “the EU is willing to help,” said Rutte. In the short term, 150 million euros will be transferred to strengthen the Tunisian economy, ‘team Europe’ – as the trio calls themselves – announced shortly after the meeting. The European Commission is ‘considering’ investing up to 900 million euros in the country.
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Unlike in the economic field, Tunisia is an important partner of Europe in the field of migration. Thousands of migrants get there every year in rickety boats, with Malta and Italy as the first destination. Europe has had enough of this and wants Tunis to prevent these types of crossings. In the short term, the EU will invest at least 100 million in search and rescue at sea, the fight against people smuggling and the return of asylum seekers.
But the promised migration deal with Tunisia, modeled on the 2016 Turkey deal, was not concluded on Sunday. According to Rutte, Sunday’s agreements will be worked out in detail “within a few weeks”. Despite recent statements by President Saied that Tunisia will not accept becoming a border guard for Europe, the Dutch Prime Minister is confident that a deal will be reached.
A speedy conclusion of the European-Tunisian negotiations has become more important than ever since Thursday. After six difficult years of negotiations, 27 EU ministers reached an agreement on new European asylum rules. Part of this is sending rejected asylum seekers back to ‘safe third countries’ such as Tunisia.
At the moment, asylum seekers can only be sent to countries if they have previously lived there. That rule will become more flexible: soon it will suffice if someone has done it in transit. Incidentally, ‘Team Europe’ “did not speak at length” on Sunday about returning asylum seekers, Rutte said.
Read also: Migration experts skeptical about asylum agreement: ‘Why should it work now?’
Human rights
When asked, he is not concerned that black migrants in Tunisia are increasingly becoming victims of violence and exclusion. “Refugees are safe there,” he stressed. Human rights, he continued, will always be discussed “back and forth.” As far as Rutte is concerned, compliance with it is in Tunisia’s economic interest. After all, companies will not easily invest in a country that treats people badly, he reasoned.
His Tunisian counterpart has meanwhile launched a campaign against migrants in his own country. Manhunts, firings and evictions of black migrants are no exception. After his visit to Tunis, Rutte insisted, however, that he can do “good business” with the government of President Saied.
The prime minister spoke to the Dutch press at the runway of Rotterdam The Hague Airport, because the Tunisian authorities would not allow a press conference in Tunis (the country dropped 21 places on the press freedom list last year compared to the year before). The Government Information Service felt “uneasy” about it. Rutte did not want to promise on Sunday to ensure that Dutch and European media are allowed to be present at the signing ceremony of the promised migration deal. “The host country is about that,” he concluded.
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper on June 12, 2023.