Tunisian President Kais Saied ordered officials on Tuesday to take urgent measures to tackle illegal immigration. A statement from his office, decrying "a criminal plot [...] to change Tunisia's demographic make-up" without citing any evidence, has sparked an outcry online.
His comments have been widely criticised, with the African Union condemning the remarks, saying that this type of racial hate speech could cause harm.
FRANCE 24 spoke with Tunisia's Foreign Affairs Minister Nabil Amar for some answers on this major policy statement.
Amar hit back in an interview with FRANCE 24, saying that he was astonished by the African Union's reaction and that he rejected their allegations.
Amar condemned the double standard by which he feels Tunisia is being treated. Amar added that Tunisia is "known among the world as one of the best countries to live in" and rejects this accusation, saying that it is "irresponsible."
