Tunisia: Official doubles down on position, rules out apologies for racist statement

Tunisia’s top diplomat Nabil Ammar Tuesday said the North African country will not apologize for shocking statements, branded “racist” by many, made by President Kais Saied against Sub-Saharan migrants.

President Kais Saied sparked an outcry last week after he made extremely hateful and racist remarks against African migrants who arrive in his country on their way to Europe.

The remarks caused an uproar at home and abroad.

In a statement late last week, the African Union Commission condemned Tunisian authorities and provided support for the migrants.

“The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat strongly condemns the shocking statement issued by Tunisian authorities targeting fellow Africans which go against the letter and the spirit of our organization and founding principles,” read the statement issued by the AU Commission last Friday.

The recently appointed Foreign Minister Ammar, in an interview with AFP news agency, stressed that Tunis will not apologize for its position on Sub-Saharan migrants. “It has been a few days since this happened and it is now necessary to keep a cool head, it is necessary to appease, and the messages of appeasement have already been transmitted by the official channels and others,” he told the agency.

“No, there is no way we will apologize, we have not harmed anyone,” he insisted. “For migrants who are legal, there is no problem. For others, we no more want them,” he added.

“And illegal migrants are called upon to return home but within the respect for their rights and dignity.”