After a UN body determined the country's recent treatment of sub-Saharan African migrants violates basic human rights, Tunisia's government called on the international agency to use "greater objectivity."
On Wednesday, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) launched an appeal to Tunisian authorities to put an end to what it called "hate speech and violence against migrants from south of the Sahara."
The independent UN-appointed experts issued the statement in response to a Feb. 21 speech made by Tunisian president Kais Saied, in which the government leader called for "urgent measures" against undocumented sub-Saharan migrants in the country.
Saied also called the migrants a source of "violence and criminality" involving a "criminal organisation" aiming to change the demographic composition of Tunisia.
Heavily criticised at the international level, the speech was followed by several incidents of discrimination and violence against sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia.
Tunis claims efforts against racism
Responding to the UN statements, Tunisia's foreign ministry urged officials to recognize the "continual efforts in the fight against racial discrimination" currently being undertaken in Tunis
The ministry asked that the migration issue be dealt with using a "holistic approach that takes countries' sovereignty and the interests of their populations into account".
Through such an approach, ministry officials said, Tunisia will be able to handle migration in a "safe, dignified and legal" fashion.
The officials added that "no hate speech or incitement to racism has been made by official Tunisian sources."
Tunisia said it is "eager to deal with the issue of migration in harmony with the requirements of international pacts and the international charter of human rights while respecting rule of law."