11 May 2015 -  TAP – Illegal migration, border security, the fundamental rights of migrants and the fight against human trafficking and against terrorism and radicalism were discussed at a meeting Monday in Kasbah between Prime Minister Habib Essid and European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the European Commission for Migration, who is making a two-day visit to Tunisia, heading a delegation of the European Union (EU), said Tunisia and the EU are facing the same challenges and have the same priorities, especially in migration.

He added that the management of migratory flows is a “complex challenge for Europe as well as for its southern Mediterranean partners, which requires immediate joint actions to prevent disasters and save human lives.”

He called for establishing a long-term program to strengthen the asylum system and border security, act against illegal migration with source countries, provide more opportunities for legal migration and respect the fundamental rights of migrants.

The European official added that the European Commission  is now working on developing a new project with investments  worth EUR 5 million to support partnership with the Tunisian  authorities in identifying priority fields and in the areas of  management of migration, mobilization of the Diaspora and the  re-integration of Tunisians returning home.

The European Commission has also pledged to work with Tunisia to strengthen the fight against terrorism and arms trafficking, he noted.

The European official also welcomed Tunisia’s efforts to host many Libyan nationals fleeing their country because of the “worrying situation now prevailing there.”