Summary

On 3 June, a boat packed with over 180 migrants sank off the Tunisian coast, near the island of Kerkennah, causing the tragic death of at least 100 persons. The accident probably represents Tunisia’s deadliest migrant shipwreck and brings again to the fore the upsurge of irregular migration from the country – also known as el-harga in Tunisian.

With the exception of the massive irregular influx into Europe of more than 28,000 Tunisians at the wake of the revolution, Tunisian arrivals in Italy decreased substantially between 2012 and 2016 as border controls were restored.

Legal migration is often noted as one of the ways to counter smuggling and irregular migration. With the European Commission’s recent political roadmap for a sustainable migration policy pathways for legal economic migration seem to emerge from oblivion. The article highlights a number of issues with regards to the EU’s legal migration agenda.

Legal channels recognised as way to reduce irregular migration

Editorial

This paper sets out to better inform stakeholders about why the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and national level stakeholders operate as they do around managing water and security related interests. It concludes with implications for support.