Italian interior minister calls for restructuring sea rescues
Italy's interior minister Matteo Salvini announced plans to reorganize the country's sea rescue operations with a particular focus on national security.
Tunisia
Germany: Increase in deportations to Maghreb countries
Germany is returning more rejected asylum seekers to Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. The number has increased since 2016 due to closer cooperation between Germany and the Maghreb states.
Salvini in Tunis: Economic aid in exchange for tougher border controls, but deadlock on repatriations
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has travelled to Tunis to meet with local authorities and talk about immigration. Salvini called the visit "fruitful," although Rome did not obtain the increase in repatriations it had hoped for.
Bekir Ben, from immigrant to 'Italian artist'
Bekir Ben is a 49-year old Tunisian painter and sculptor. He arrived in Italy 26 years ago, his talent discovered by Italian artists who had admired his work at a hotel in Tunisia. Since then, Bekir has started his adventure as an artist, travelling from Rome to Palermo, where he has been living with his family for over 10 years now.
From migrant rescue hero to alleged trafficker
A Tunesian fisherman, once hailed as the rescuer of migrants, has been arrested and faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence for aiding and abetting human trafficking. Family and friends say he and his crew were "only doing their duty."
Racist Acts in Tunisia: 'Some police officers don't even file complaints'
The attacks on three Ivorians in Tunis on Thursday, August 23 have relaunched the controversy over racism in Tunisia. Blacks in the country suffer daily insults and bullying.
Illegal migrant boat factory discovered in Tunisia
Tunisian authorities said they have arrested the owner of a boat factory that was making boats used for illegal migrant journeys in the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, various people have been blocked in recent days in their attempts to reach Europe by sea from Tunisia.
Saved by the phone: The emergency hotline that advocates for migrants stranded at sea
Alarm Phone is an independent support hotline connecting migrant boats in distress with local coast guards to ensure quick and effective rescue operations.
Tunisia to contact Sarost 5 migrants' homes for repatriation
Tunisia has announced that it will be contacting the countries of origin of migrants rescued by the Sarost 5 ship to repatriate them. The migrants will theoretically have the possibility to request asylum or remain in the country, though Tunisia has not yet adopted a law on asylum.
'Only controls, no protection for migrants'
Non-profit organization ARCI has denounced that the cooperation between the EU and Africa on migration policies focuses on controls and repatriations rather than protection.
Sarost 5 docks in Zarzis with 40 migrants onboard
The Sarost 5 ship docked on Wednesday in the Tunisian port of Zarzis after Tunisian prime minister had given green light on Saturday. The ship had been stuck for weeks in limbo, unable to land after taking 40 migrants onboard that had been in distress at sea.
Sarost to land in Tunisia with migrants aboard after 2 weeks at sea
The Sarost 5 with 40 migrants onboard and stuck at sea for the past two weeks will be able to land in Tunisia, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed announced on Sunday. In the meantime, the Spanish NGO Open Arms who returned to within a few miles of the ship to offer assistance has left the area.