The Tunisian government has reported 5077 voluntary returns of migrants in irregular situations since January 1, 2026. This information was shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a meeting between Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti and International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director-General Amy Pope on September 22 in New York. The returns are part of a voluntary return and reintegration program.
The 5077 returns in 2026 bring the total number of migrants who have benefited from the program since its inception to 25,351. The program aims to facilitate the voluntary return of migrants to their countries of origin and support their reintegration. The Ministry noted that the figure does not include voluntary returns made on regular commercial flights.
During their meeting, Minister Nafti and Director-General Pope reviewed the results of cooperation between Tunisia and the IOM, particularly in the context of the voluntary return and reintegration program. They emphasized the need to continue coordination to accelerate voluntary returns and promote sustainable reintegration of returnees in their countries of origin.
Minister Nafti reiterated Tunisia's consistent position on migration, refusing to allow its territory to be used as a land of settlement or transit. He advocated for a comprehensive approach to managing migration, based on shared responsibility, respect for state sovereignty, human dignity, and human rights.
Nafti also stressed the need to intensify international action against the root causes of irregular migration and combat human trafficking networks. He called for developing solutions to better link the fight against irregular migration with the strengthening of regular migration channels, in line with the objectives of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Director-General Pope expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the IOM and Tunisia. She highlighted the importance of development programs and the dismantling of human trafficking networks as a means of addressing the root causes of migration. The two officials also reviewed programs implemented by the IOM to support Tunisian nationals abroad.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of Nafti's participation in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The discussions underscored the commitment of Tunisia and the IOM to addressing migration challenges through cooperation and sustainable solutions.
Key points
- 5077 irregular migrants have returned voluntarily to their countries of origin from Tunisia in 2026.
- The total number of voluntary returns since the program's inception is 25,351.
- Tunisia and the IOM are cooperating to accelerate voluntary returns and promote sustainable reintegration of returnees.
