AU Castigates Tunisia’s Racial Hate Speech Against Migrants

By Samuel Ouma The African Union has condemned remarks made by Tunisian President Kais Saied that linked migrants from Sub-Saharan in the country to criminality. The AU Commission said in a statement that it had called Tunisia's representative for an urgent meeting to express "deep shock and concern at the form and substance" of the remarks on behalf of the continent-wide union. "The Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E. Moussa Faki MAHAMAT strongly condemns the shocking statement issued by Tunisian authorities targeting fellow Africans which go against the letter and spirit of our Organization and founding principles," read part of the statement. Faki said that AU member states must treat all migrants with dignity, wherever they come from, refrain from racialized hate speech that could bring people to harm, and prioritize their safety and human rights. On Tuesday, February 21, Saied ordered the deportation of unauthorized migrants from Tunisia, claiming that immigration was a scheme to change the demographic character of his country. Local rights activists condemned the remarks, terming them racists.