Tunisia Rejects EU Financial Aid, Casting Doubt on an Immigration Deal 

Italian Coast Guard personnel prepare to tow boats used to carry migrants, near the port of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (LaPresse via AP))
Italian Coast Guard personnel prepare to tow boats used to carry migrants, near the port of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (LaPresse via AP))
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Tunisia Rejects EU Financial Aid, Casting Doubt on an Immigration Deal 

Italian Coast Guard personnel prepare to tow boats used to carry migrants, near the port of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (LaPresse via AP))
Italian Coast Guard personnel prepare to tow boats used to carry migrants, near the port of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (LaPresse via AP))

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday rejected financial support announced by the European Union in September, saying the amount is small and goes against a deal signed three months ago.

Saied's move could undermine the "strategic partnership" from July that includes measures on combating human traffickers and tightening borders, and which came during a sharp increase in boats heading to Europe from the North African nation.

The European Commission last month said it would disburse 127 million euros ($133 million) in aid to Tunisia as part of the deal to fight illegal immigration from Africa to Europe.

"Tunisia rejects what the EU announced, not because of the small amount ... but because the proposal conflicts with the memorandum of understanding signed in July," Saied said.

The July deal included a pledge of 1 billion euros in aid to Tunisia to help its battered economy, rescue state finances and deal with the migration crisis.

The smaller amount announced by Europe 10 days ago, however, has frustrated Tunisian authorities struggling to improve public finances and raised fears among credit rating agencies that the government could default on foreign debts in coming months.

The dispute between the two parties has coincided with the arrival of record numbers of migrants from Tunisia and North Africa to Italy's island of Lampedusa.

Tunisia last week postponed a visit by a delegation from the European Commission to discuss the details of the migration agreement.

Last month it also denied the entry of five members of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee for meetings over the political situation in Tunisia, saying it would not allow interference in its affairs.



UN Mission in Lebanon Says Peacekeepers Injured Friday after New Explosions Hit Base

26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfra Shouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfar Shouba. (dpa)
26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfra Shouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfar Shouba. (dpa)
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UN Mission in Lebanon Says Peacekeepers Injured Friday after New Explosions Hit Base

26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfra Shouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfar Shouba. (dpa)
26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfra Shouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfar Shouba. (dpa)

The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon says new explosions hit its headquarters on Friday morning, injuring two peacekeepers, a day after Israeli forces struck the same position.

The force, known as UNIFIL, said the explosions went off close to an observation tower at its headquarters in the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura.

According to The AP, one of the injured peacekeepers was taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Tyre, while the other was treated at the site. It did not specify the cause of the blasts.

It also said an Israeli army bulldozer hit the perimeter of another of its positions in southern Lebanon while Israeli tanks moved nearby. Additional peacekeepers were sent to reinforce the position, it said.