TUNIS – The African Union (AU) denounced comments made by Tunisia’s president about African refugees living in that nation and cautioned against “racialized hate speech” that might be harmful.
This week, President Kais Saied caused controversy by claiming that “hordes” of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa were robbing Tunisia of its population and causing crime.
Later, Saied made an effort to ensure “legal” immigrants that they were welcome, but he persisted in his assertions that people living illegally in Tunisia were altering the demographics of the nation.
The AU Commission claimed in a statement that it had summoned Tunisia’s representative for an emergency meeting to express “deep shock and concern at the form and content” of the remarks on behalf of the continent-wide bloc.
“The Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat strongly condemns the shocking statement issued by Tunisian authorities targeting fellow Africans which go against the letter and the spirit of our organisation and founding principles,” the organ said on Friday in a statement.
Members of the AU must, according to Faki, “treat all migrants with respect, wherever they come from, refrain from racialized hate speech that could incite violence, and prioritize their safety and human rights.”
Saied was accused of using hate speech by Tunisian rights organisations, but the president responded by saying those who made the accusations “want division and discord and attempt to damage our relations with our brothers.”
Saied urged his national security council on Tuesday to take “urgent steps” to address irregular migration.
Saied, who has gained almost total control since a dramatic July 2021 move against parliament, urged them to do so.
Only 21,000 citizens from sub-Saharan African nations currently reside in Tunisia, which has a population of about 12 million, according to official statistics cited by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights. The majority of these residents entered Tunisia illegally.
