EU Provides Financial Aid to Tunisia to Address Migration Crisis

The European Union's agreement with Tunisia to curb migration and provide financial support is already resulting in human rights violations, as Tunisian authorities continue to force migrants to the Libyan border where they face dire conditions and even death. The EU has failed to condemn these violations and the agreement lacks human rights conditions, monitoring, and mechanisms to suspend cooperation in case of abuse. This mirrors the EU's past cooperation with Libya, which led to widespread abuse against migrants and refugees. Such agreements do not save lives or address the root causes of migration. Furthermore, the EU's deal with Tunisia risks legitimizing President Kais Saied's assault on the rule of law and repression of dissent. The agreement was negotiated in secret, without transparency or involvement from civil society. To prevent complicity in rights abuses, the EU must prioritize human rights conditions, impact assessments, and monitoring in its migration policies.