A Cabinet meeting held on Thursday in Kasbah to follow up on the measures adopted by the government for the African community residing in Tunisia has instructed the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad to prepare a roadmap for the implementation of the electronic visa and biometric residence permit projects in order to facilitate administrative procedures, particularly those related to travel.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister, Najla Bouden, discussed the nature of the reports received on the toll-free number for each ministry concerned, which has been made available to sub-Saharan Africans residing on Tunisian territory, and the cooperation between the various ministries in order to deal with their problems immediately.
The President of the National Authority to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, Raoudha Laabidi, reviewed the specificities of the cases of trafficking in human beings recorded in Tunisia, in particular following the evolution of the flow of irregular migrants in Tunisia between 2010 and 2022. She said the Tunisian State provides unconditional support to victims of trafficking in human beings, whatever their origin and circumstances, while ensuring respect for their physical and psychological integrity and the protection of their personal data.
For his part, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Moncef Boukthir, mentioned the cultural and sports events organised for the benefit of sub-Saharan African students, adding that a draft law is being prepared to create a Tunisian agency for information, orientation and services for foreign students.
Furthermore, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Kamel Déguiche, announced that his ministry would be organising several cultural and sporting events involving a number of Africans living in Tunisia, and took the opportunity to announce the organisation of the second edition of the African Beach Games in Hammamet in June 2023.
The Cabinet meeting also noted the increase in illegal border crossings in recent years, as well as the increase in the number of migrant boats, and welcomed the efforts made by the Coast Guard to ensure rescue operations off the coast.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP)