Italy is committed to helping and convincing the IMF to stabilize Tunisia. Indeed, Italy has promised a host of investments in Tunisia and is helping to negotiate an International Monetary Fund rescue package for the North African country. Rome is thus seeking to stabilize the North African country’s economic crisis and stem the rise in the number of migrants from the European nation.
Indeed, the Tunisian president Saïd Kais had made a comment that inflamed the nation. He said that the sub-Saharan migrant population was in Tunisia as part of a criminal plan to increase Tunisian demographics. He added that during the Covid 19 pandemic, they helped them a lot, but that’s all over now. Following these remarks, the IMF decided to delay their request for a $500 million loan because they considered the remarks made by the Tunisian president to be racist. Furthermore, to show their displeasure, the IMF had cancelled the African Union meeting scheduled to take place in Tunisia, without giving any real reason.
Italy opens negotiations with Tunisia
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani presented Italy’s efforts and promises at a meeting with his Tunisian counterpart Nabil Amar. Nabil Amar insisted that Tunisia has seen a growing number of African migrants arriving from the Libyan border and needs economic help. Tajani pledged to work on Tunisia’s behalf in negotiations with the IMF, reiterating Italy’s proposal that the loan be granted in two tranches. The government is therefore negotiating a loan of $2-4 billion with the IMF to deal with the budget deficit aggravated by the pandemic and the fallout from the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development claims that Tunisia is going through its worst crisis in a generation, with inflation hovering around 11% and foodstuffs increasingly scarce.
A Lire: Tunisia refuses IMF loans in a bid to join the BRICS
Why is Italy going to such lengths to help Tunisia?
Italy wants a stable and prosperous Tunisia, because Tunisia has become a major departure point for some of the 31,000 migrants who have reached Italy so far this year. Italy’s aim is to support Tunisia in curbing the flow of migrants. Tunisia is said to have recently lowered the level of control over migrants heading for Italy, in response to the IMF’s refusal to lend it money. As a result, the number of migrants in Italy has continued to grow, which explains Italy’s interest in cooperating with Tunisia to solve the problem of massive illegal immigration.
Data from the Italian Ministry of the Interior show that most of the migrants arriving in Italy this year are from Côte d’Ivoire, followed by Guinea and Pakistan, with Tunisians coming in fourth, around 2,450 people.
It’s important to understand that immigration will unfortunately never stop, because as long as the earth exists, there will always be people migrating from one place to another. However, Europe does not want to welcome everyone. At some point, you have to have a sense of honor and stay at home to fight and earn your money honestly and legally. The money used to travel can be used to develop one’s own country. It would therefore be essential to promote peace in Africa to enable its development and thus encourage its inhabitants to stay put.
Totally inspired by Zack Mwekassa’s video
