After the evacuation of the fortune camps in El Amra and Jbeniana, the Tunisian authorities proceeded to the relocation of sub -Saharan migrants in an irregular situation. According to MP Tarek Mehdi, working on Jawhara FM, the latter were installed on state land in Henchir Essriss, Bir Mellouli, in the same governorate of Sfax. These agricultural areas, renowned for their fertility and their olive production, have been chosen pending a more sustainable solution, specifies the deputy.
This relocation, presented as temporary, is part of a context where the authorities are struggling to manage the growing influx of migrants. Currently, around 20,000 sub-Saharan migrants are identified in these sectors, and several hundred of them have expressed their desire to return voluntarily to their country of origin, he added.
Faced with rumors evoking a dispersion of migrants in different regions of the country, Tarek Mehdi has denied any intention of the State to adopt such an approach. He also warned of the demographic challenges linked to this crisis, stressing that Tunisia has to face a notable increase in births among sub-Saharan migrants, with nearly 6,000 newborns recorded in a short period.
Tunisian authorities claim to work on a more global response under the supervision of the country’s security bodies. However, no final solution has yet been announced concerning the future of migrants installed on these agricultural land.
