Leveraging Flows: The Surge in Irregular Migration From Tunisia to Europe

Irregular migration from and through Tunisia has surged since 2020. The North African country has become a launching point for Tunisian nationals as well as foreign migrants seeking to reach Europe. Indeed, in late 2022, Tunisia surpassed Libya as the main country of embarkation for Italy. With growing concerns in Europe about the inflow of migrants, the subject is increasingly dominating discussions on EU-Tunisia relations.

To understand the underlying factors contributing to the surge in irregular migration from and through Tunisia, The Malcolm H. Kerr Middle East Center and The Global Initiative are organizing a joint event on Wednesday, July 12, at 4:00 PM EEST, featuring Tasnim Abderrahim, Hamza Meddeb, and Anna Knoll. The event will focus on two publications examining the issue: “Borders Under Pressure: Increased Fragility Fuels Migration Surge from Tunisia,” which delves into the phenomenon of human smuggling from Tunisia to Europe during 2022; and “Leveraging Lives: Serbia and Illegal Tunisian Migration to Europe,” which analyzes the post-pandemic surge in Tunisian migration through the Western Balkan route and the growing instrumentalization of migration in countries’ foreign relations.

The discussion will be held in English and moderated by Matt Herbert. Those interested can join the event through Zoom and submit questions to the panelists using the live chat feature during the discussion. For more information, please contact claudio.landi@globalinitiative.net or najwa.yassine@carnegie-mec.org.

This event was produced with support from the X-Border Local Research Network, a program funded by UK aid from the UK government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.