Tunisian President Kais Saied has called on sub-Saharan African people legally in the country to be “reassured” they would not be harmed over his stance against migrants.
He however maintained that illegal migration was causing “demographic” changes in the country, saying those who were there illegally would not be allowed to stay.
The president spoke during a meeting with the interior minister about the security situation in the country.
On Tuesday, Mr Saied had ordered security agencies to crack down on illegal migration from sub-Saharan African countries.
His reported remarks that illegal migration was interfering with the demographic make-up of the country was criticised by human rights groups in the country as racist.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) was quoted on Wednesday as referring to Mr Saied’s remarks as “drowning in racism and hatred”.
But Mr Saied on Thursday denied it, saying that those accusing him of racism were seeking to create discord and damage relations with other countries.
Tunisia is a key transit point for migrants seeking to move to Europe crossing through the Mediterranean sea.
