According to local media, during a meeting with Minister of the Interior Tawfiq Sharaf al-Din, the president called for peace of mind for Africans legally residing in the country and assured that no one will harm them.

After confirming that his government will not accept illegals, he noted that he will not allow plans to settle these people in Tunisia with the aim of changing the demographic composition.

The head of State also accused his political adversaries of trying to misuse his statements to ignite, in his opinion, the fire of sedition.

Human rights organizations, including the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, earlier criticized President Saied for giving what they described as a racist speech about migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa.

They considered that such a speech incites hate and violence against these people, with the probability of fueling an eventual migration crisis.

According to humanitarian sources, Tunisia, a country of some 12 million people, is hosting thousands of migrants, including legal residents, students and undocumented migrants, mostly from states such as Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Cameroon, Ghana and Guinea.

Every year, thousands of Africans, passing through the Tunisian coasts, try to reach European territory, often unsuccessfully, due to shipping accidents in the Mediterranean Sea, as they look for employment and better living conditions.

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