The African Union (AU) has strongly condemned the recent remarks made by Tunisian President Kais Saied regarding migration from sub-Saharan Africa. The AU Commission issued a statement late on Friday, expressing its deep shock and concern at the form and substance of the comments. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H. E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, urged Tunisia to refrain from racialised hate speech that could bring people to harm and prioritize their safety and human rights.
Tunisia’s foreign ministry responded to the statement by rejecting what it called “baseless accusations” that misunderstood the government’s position. President Saied had previously ordered the expulsion of undocumented migrants from Tunisia, claiming that immigration was a plot aimed at changing his country’s demographic composition.
Local rights activists have accused Saied of hate speech, with Romdhane Ben Amor, spokesperson for the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), saying that “the presidential campaign aims to create an imaginary enemy for Tunisians to distract them from their basic problems”. Meanwhile, Saied has denied any racism, insisting that migrants living in Tunisia legally have nothing to fear.
In response to the president’s comments, rights groups have planned a demonstration to protest against Saied’s remarks and the clampdown on migrants and refugees. According to official figures quoted by the FTDES, Tunisia is home to more than 21,000 citizens from sub-Saharan African countries. The AU Commission has reminded Tunisia of its obligation within the 55-member bloc, emphasizing that all migrants should be treated with dignity regardless of where they come from.