A study titled “Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa in Tunisia” has revealed that 60% of irregular migrants in Tunisia entered the country through its border with Algeria. Conducted during the first half of 2024 under the auspices of the Tunisian Forum for Economic Rights, the research was a collaborative effort with the “State, Culture, and Societal Transformations” research lab at the University of Sfax.
According to the findings, 85% of irregular migrants entered Tunisia via land borders, with 60% crossing from the Algerian border and 25% arriving from Libya. In contrast, 14% arrived by air travel. The study, published by the Tunisian Press Agency, also indicated that 27% of the irregular migrants possess a university education, while 10% are illiterate, with the remaining percentage distributed across various educational levels.
Additionally, 70% of the surveyed irregular migrants expressed a lack of trust in international organizations dealing with migration issues, citing a failure to provide humane solutions. Zohair Ben Jannet, a sociologist at the University of Sfax and the study’s supervisor, presented the findings in Tunis. The research was conducted across the Greater Tunis area, as well as in Medenine (specifically Jerjis in the southeast) and Sfax (in the towns of El Amra and Jbenyana).
The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, distributing 402 questionnaires and utilizing 397 responses. It also included in-depth individual interviews and organized three focus groups with irregular migrants from Sub-Saharan African countries.
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