The offer in Tunis by von der Leyen and Meloni to curb the landings – Corriere.it

An enhanced cooperation agreement to be signed by the end of the month. Between Tunis and the European Union. An agreement which, described in its general lines by President Ursula von der Leyen, it will cover four areas, namely strengthening economic and trade ties, an energy alliance, migration and people-to-people contacts, such as student exchanges. To implement this agreement, Brussels is putting more than one billion euros on the plate, but at least 900 million are conditional on economic reforms and the unblocking of negotiations between Tunis (one step away from default) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

the most important result of the visit

– behind closed doors for journalists – who yesterday saw the leaders of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, of Italy and the Netherlands, Giorgia Meloni and Mark Ruttecompare with the Tunisian premier
Najla Bouden and President Kais Saied. an interlocutory passage, whose conditions are not entirely clear, but certainly articulated and full of possible projects, from renewables to hydrogen, between the European Union and Tunisia.

Also the product of intense diplomatic work that the Italian government has produced in recent weeks (Giorgia Meloni went to Tunis twice in 5 days) and the pressure of our diplomacy on the European Commission in recent months.

Europe is also ready to give 150 million euros immediately, without conditions, to the African state to strengthen border control and the fight against illegal migration. Yesterday Melons has almost given way to the two European colleagues in the presentation of the agreements, but it took a step forward for what Rome considers a strategic dossier: We are ready to organize an international conference on migration and development, about which we spoke with President Saied. The work carried out by Italy and Europe and the visit of the Commission and the Italian and Dutch governments today to Tunis also preparatory to being able to make progress in the important agreement between Tunisia and the IMF. a further stage in this process, underlined the Prime Minister. We want to mark an important stage in the relationship between Tunisia and the European Union, commented von der Leyen, recalling the support given to Tunisian democracy after 2011.

Between the IMF and Tunis, almost $2 billion of macro-financial assistance is at stake, linked to incisive economic and political reforms, from the cut of the public sector to the privatization of some state companies, reforms on which Saied has so far resisted, for fear of losing consensus. A position reaffirmed in fact by President Saied before the meeting (we will not act as border guards for other countries) and also after with a statement: The solution that some secretly claim is to host migrants in Tunisia in exchange for inhuman and inhuman sums of money unacceptable.

Meloni also thanked the president of the European Commission for his tireless work and his colleague Mark Rutte. We are very happy with the joint declaration signed today, an important first step for the creation of a real partnership that can address the migration crisis in an integrated way. Also satisfied the head of the Dutch government: in talks with Prime Minister Bouden and President Saied we discussed an overall package of aid and collaboration, on which we will be working in the coming weeks, in view of the European Council. The door is open: we all recognize the opportunity to nurture relations between the EU and Tunisia.

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