Telephone conversation between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration, Othman Jerandi

This morning, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, had a telephone conversation with the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration, Othman Jerandi.

Deputy Prime Minister Tajani highlighted the importance of cooperation with Tunisia in the migration field, particularly regarding the fight against human traffickers and repatriations. Stressing the latter, Deputy Prime Minister Tajani called for a strong commitment by the Tunisian government to fighting illegal immigration and speeding up repatriation operations - thus acting as a strong deterrent to new irregular departures. At the same time, he restated Italy's support in the performance of border control activities, the fight against human trafficking and the creation of legal migration opportunities for Tunisian workers coming to Italy.

This morning's conversation is part of a series of contacts that, in recent weeks, Deputy Prime Minister Tajani has had with leaders across the Mediterranean region to address the migration issue. The solution, as Tajani recalled, cannot exclude cooperation and concrete support from the European Union.