Tunis:Marise Habib has been appointed as the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission in Tunisia. Her appointment was marked by a meeting on November 11, 2026, with Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad. The meeting centered on the development of cooperation and partnership between Tunisia and the IOM, emphasizing the shared commitment to enhance and diversify this collaboration in alignment with national sovereignty principles amidst the region's accelerating challenges.
According to Republic of Tunisia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration And Tunisians Abroad, discussions during the meeting included the outcomes of the voluntary return and reintegration mechanism implemented with the IOM and its representation in Tunisia. Since January 1, 2026, this mechanism has facilitated the voluntary return of 6,034 irregular migrants, raising the total number of beneficiaries to 26,308 since its inception. Additionally, the mechanism accounted for returns via regular commercial flights.
The efforts of the IOM in this domain were acknowledged, and the importance of continued coordination to expedite voluntary return operations and ensure sustainable reintegration programs for beneficiaries in their home countries was stressed. Minister Nafti reaffirmed Tunisia's firm stance against being a host or transit country for migrants and advocated for a comprehensive approach to migration issues, based on shared responsibility, respect for state sovereignty, human dignity, and human rights, while combating human trafficking networks.
Furthermore, the need for intensified international cooperation to address the root causes of irregular migration was highlighted, along with the necessity for more comprehensive and effective solutions to balance combating the causes of irregular migration with establishing regular migration channels beneficial to all parties, thus supporting regional and international peace and security.
The meeting also reviewed the results of joint programs with the IOM, particularly in mobilizing the competencies of the diaspora, legal migration, and development through developmental projects like "MOBI-TRE," "NAMAD," and "Helma."