The World Bank said it was temporarily pausing some of its work in Tunisia after an outbreak of violence against Black migrants that African countries say was stoked by President Kais Saied.
(Bloomberg) — The World Bank said it was temporarily pausing some of its work in Tunisia after an outbreak of violence against Black migrants that African countries say was stoked by President Kais Saied.
Hundreds of sub-Saharan Africans have left Tunisia since Saied blamed Black residents for a rise in violent crime. Last month he ordered security forces to stop illegal migration and expel undocumented migrants. The crackdown has also spread to migrants living legally in Tunisia and caused widespread racially-motivated violence.
Crackdown on Black Africans Fuels Attacks and Rebuke in Tunisia
“The safety and inclusion of migrants and minorities is part of our institution’s core values of inclusion, respect, and anti-racism in all shapes and forms,” the World Bank said in a statement, citing its President David Malpass.
Discussions on the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework with Tunisia, which outlines “strategic directions for operational engagements” from 2023-2027, have been “temporarily paused by management,” the statement said. But dialog and engagement with Tunisian authorities continues, it added.
African Union Cancels Tunisia Meeting After Censure Over Racism
Ivory Coast, Mali and Guinea have started evacuating citizens that want to leave Tunisia. Human rights groups have accused Saied of fueling xenophobia to deflect from a growing economic and political crisis in the North African nation. He has defended his comments, saying he only wants to enforce existing laws.
The African Union has said it’s canceling a conference it planned to hold in Tunisia later this month, after criticizing the government over the attacks.
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