Tunisia prepares camp to welcome refugees from Libya
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Tunisia has decided to set up a camp for refugees from Libya in the event that it becomes necessary.
And on Tuesday, a delegation including representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration and the Arab Institute for Human Rights, visited the Ras Jadir border crossing between Tunisia and Libya to inspect the area.
According to the plan, a health centre will be set up at the border crossing through which all refugees will pass before being transferred to the camp, which will be located in the Tataouine region, in the heart of the Sahara, in southern Tunisia.
On 18 February, the Tunisian authorities announced the relaunch of the security and humanitarian emergency plan in anticipation of the expected wave of refugees from Libya.
Several Tunisian civil society activists had expressed concern about the possibility of the camp being transformed into a permanent platform for welcoming migrants, raising questions about the reasons for choosing the site.
The European Union had proposed in 2018 to African countries to house a reception centre for refugees attempting to travel to Europe, a proposal rejected at the time by former Tunisian President Béji Caïd Essebsi.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights denounced the flagrant violation of the rights of asylum seekers and refugees in Tunisia, estimating that more than 130 asylum seekers live on the streets in the country and face multiple challenges, including access to food and health care.
-0- PANA YY/IN/JSG/BBA/MA 26Feb2020
