As the world marks International Migrants Day, the ongoing global migration crisis continues to draw attention, particularly the rising trend of returning migrants to “third countries”—nations that are not their countries of origin. This practice is gaining ground as the European Union (EU) tightens its immigration policies, aiming to curb migration flows through proposed “return hubs”—detention centers located outside EU borders to house individuals whose asylum applications have been rejected.

However, the reality on the ground is far more complex. Tens of thousands of migrants are already stranded in transit countries, with Tunisia in North Africa emerging as a focal point. Unable to reach their intended destinations in Europe, these migrants face a precarious existence marked by uncertainty and desperation.

Experts warn that the EU’s plan to transform Tunisia into a return hub could worsen the situation, leaving migrants in legal limbo, straining local resources, and raising serious humanitarian and legal concerns.

“What is happening to migrants in Tunisia today reflects a strategy that the European Union, especially Italy, has worked hard on since the end of 2022,” Romdhane Ben Amor, spokesperson for the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, explains. “The EU has successfully reduced the number of migrants reaching the northern shores, shifting the migration crisis to Tunisia.”

With fewer migrants able to continue their journeys, Tunisia is witnessing a growing number of undocumented migrants living in precarious conditions. Many are unemployed and lack access to basic services, making daily survival a constant struggle.

Emmanuel, a migrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared his ordeal.

“I arrived here after fleeing war and genocide in my country. The work we do here is not really a life. It’s not enough. Sometimes we work just to pay for housing and food, and that’s it. The conditions are hard. All we hope for is to leave.”

Restaurant manager Nasreddine Rahmouni says the situation is increasing tensions between migrants and locals.

“They used to come, stay for one to two years, work, and save money for the crossing to Europe. Now they are forced to stay here, causing tension with some locals due to higher unemployment rates among Tunisian youth. We are all human beings. We need to coexist until the migration problem is solved.”

Meanwhile, opposition within the EU to the return hub proposal continues to grow. Countries such as France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Portugal have raised serious concerns, arguing that such facilities would shift responsibility for migrants to non-EU countries—particularly in North Africa—without providing adequate protection for migrants’ rights.

Edited by: Dinah Matengo