Italy’s leader keeps the focus on migration on her fourth visit to Tunisia in a year

By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA and SAM METZ
Associated Press

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Italy’s leader has acknowledged that Tunisia “cannot become the arrival point for migrants coming from the rest of Europe.” Premier Giorgia Meloni’s statement on Wednesday comes days after Tunisia’s president insisted he remains unwilling to let Europe outsource migration problems to his North African country. The visit was Meloni’s fourth to Tunisia in the past year, and she sidestepped tensions over how to manage migration via the Mediterranean Sea. She instead praised Tunisia and Italy’s shared priorities in fighting human traffickers and repatriating African migrants back to their home countries. Meloni and Tunisian President Kais Saied also signed new accords as part of Italy’s plan or Africa aimed at growing economic opportunities and preventing migration to Europe.