Migration of Tunisians to Libya Dynamics, Challenges and Prospects
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International Organization for Migration (IOM) Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM) Migration of Tunisians to Libya Dynamics, Challenges and Prospects Joint publication by the International Organization for Migration (IOM Tunisia) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Synthesis note on the main findings of the study entitled Migration of Tunisians to Libya: Dynamics, Challenges and Prospects The study was carried out between February and October 2012 by IOM Tunisia and the AfDB, in collaboration with the Office for Tunisians Living Abroad, with the support of the Steering Committee composed of: - The Office for Tunisians Living Abroad (OTE) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs - General Directorate of Consular Affairs (MAE-DGAC) - The Ministry of Employment - National Agency for Employment and Self-employment (ANETI) - The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation - The Ministry of Regional Development and Planning - The National Institute of Statistics (INS) - The Tunisian Agency for Technical Cooperation (ATCT) - The Centre for Social Security Research and Studies (CRESS) - The Tunisian Union for Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) - The Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX). The study was financed by resources from IOM (MENA Fund) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, through the Regional Integration Fund managed by the African Development Bank. Co-published by: International Organization for Migration (IOM Tunis) 6 Passage du Lac le Bourget Les Berges du Lac 1053 Tunis - Tunisia Tel: (+216) 71 86 03 12 / 71 96 03 13 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.tn.iom.int African Development Bank 15 Avenue du Ghana BP 323-1002 Tunis-Belvedère, Tunisia Tel: (+216) 71 10 39 00 / 71 35 19 33 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.afdb.org Design and Layout African Development Bank Zaza creation : Hela Chaouachi © 2012 International Organization for Migration and African Development Bank All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior written permission of the International Organization for Migration and the African Development Bank. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not reflect those of IOM or the AfDB which cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. This paper is a synthesis of the report of the study which is available on the websites of IOM Tunisia and the AfDB (in french). It highlights, in more detail, the methodology adopted and contains a series of useful annexes. MIGRATION OF TUNISIANS TO LIBYA: DYNAMICS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION Table of Contents Acknowledgements 5 Summary 7 Introduction 9 I. Characteristics of Tunisian migrants in Libya 11 1.1 General characteristics of Tunisian returnees from Libya 12 1.2 Situation before emigration 12 1.3 Occupational status in Libya 13 1.4 Current status of Tunisian returnees from Libya 13 1.5 Prospects of returning to Libya for Tunisian returnees from Libya 14 1.6 Characteristics of Tunisian returnees from Libya who have returned to Libya 14 II. Prospects of Tunisians migrating to Libya 16 2.1 General characteristics of the unemployed persons in the sample 16 2.2 Work experience and job-seeking 17 2.3 Prospects of migrating to Libya 17 2.4 Characteristics of prospective migrants to Libya 18 III. Governing the migration of Tunisians to Libya 20 3.1 Organizing the migration of Tunisiansto Libya 21 3.2 Management of job offers by Tunisian authorities 21 3.3 Labour demand in Libya and migratory flows 23 3.4 Development challenges of the emigration of Tunisians to Libya 25 IV. Recommendations for an efficient Tunisia-Libya migration 30 policy 4.1 The two revolutions and the advent of a new agreement 30 4.2 Predispositions of the Libyan labour market to the immigration of Tunisians 31 4.3 The Libyan approach to cooperation with Tunisia 32 4.4 Prospects for future relations between Tunisia and Libya: Role of the Tunisian Government 34 4.5 Establishment of a procedural framework for immigration 35 Conclusions 38 Bibliographical references 40 Annexes 43 4 MIGRATION OF TUNISIANS TO LIBYA: DYNAMICS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION Acknowledgements his publication was prepared by the staff • Mr. Mohamed Kriaa, economist and T and consultants of the International consultant for the AfDB, study director Organization for Migration in Tunisia (IOM and author of the study report. Tunis) and the African Development Bank • Ms. Lina Zekri, consultant for IOM Tunisia (AfDB), in collaboration with the Office for and coordinator of this report, who Tunisians Living Abroad (OTE). contributed significantly to the preparation of questionnaires, monitored the The study was carried out under the supervision implementation of the survey and reviewed of Ms. Lorena Lando, Chief of Mission, IOM the report. Tunisia, Mr. Jacob Kolster, Director of the • Mr. Habib Fourati, statistical engineer AfDB North Africa Regional Department and and consultant for the AfDB, who designed Mr. Charles Lufumpa, Director of the AfDB the sampling plan, printed the survey Statistics Department, in collaboration with sample and contributed to the preparation Ms. Agnes Soucat, Director of the AfDB of questionnaires. Human Development Department. • Mr. Safouane Ben Aissa, economist and consultant for the AfDB, who The Publication was coordinated by Ms. Lina contributed to the technical monitoring Zekri (IOM) and Mr. Emanuele Santi (AfDB), in of the project and participated in the collaboration with Mr. Francesco Lembo implementation of the qualitative survey in (IOM), Mr. Safouane Ben Aissa, Ms. Anne Tripoli, Libya. Sofie Westh Olsen and Ms Federica Ricaldi • Ms. Nadia Touihri, engineer and statistician (AfDB). (National Institute of Statistics – INS), who helped train the survey units and then IOM Tunisia and the AfDB express their sincere ensured the mid-term telephone survey thanks to all institutions and persons that monitoring contributed to the successful completion of this project. Special thanks go to the OTE as the main partner of this project and which hosted the This study is the culmination of the work of a study’s Steering Committee and supported team of experts: the implementation of the study. 5 MIGRATION OF TUNISIANS TO LIBYA: DYNAMICS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION We also wish to sincerely thank the member We also wish to thank all resource institutions institutions of the Steering Committee, namely: for their availability and the richness of information shared with us during the • The Office for Tunisians Living Abroad execution of qualitative surveys among key (OTE) actors in Tunisia and Libya. • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs - General Directorate of Consular Affairs (MAE- Our appreciation also goes to the Consulate DGAC) General of Tunisia in Tripoli for the support • The Ministry of Employment - National provided to the expert mission to Tripoli, Agency for Employment and Self- and, particularly, Mr Jalel Boughzala, the employment (ANETI) OTE social attaché. • The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation We also thank the IOM Office in Tripoli for • The Ministry of Regional Development its logistical support. and Planning • The National Institute of Statistics (INS); This work would not have been possible • The Tunisian Agency for Technical without the contribution and involvement of Cooperation (ATCT) four survey teams (16 members), drivers of • The Centre for Social Security Research vehicles rented for the survey, three data and Studies (CRESS) codification and entry operators, the IT • The Tunisian Union for Industry, Trade and expert and the translator, to whom we Handicrafts (UTICA) express our sincere gratitude. • The Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX) Lastly, we thank the administrative, logistic We wish to especially thank Mr. Houcine and financial services of the various institutions Jaziri, Secretary of State for Migration and for their support. Tunisians Living Abroad, for granting us an interview during the implementation of the study. The AfDB also thanks the Japanese International Cooperation Agency for the resources put at We most sincerely thank Mr. Habib Louizi, its disposal through the Regional Integration Director General of the OTE and Mr. Rafik Zehri, Fund managed by the Bank. Central Director at the OTE, for their support and valuable collaboration throughout the IOM Tunis is grateful to the MENA Fund for study. funding the study. 6 MIGRATION OF TUNISIANS TO LIBYA: DYNAMICS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION Summary he movement of people has been a key with Libya. Against this backdrop, this study T element in the partnership between Tunisia seeks to assess the status of migration of and Libya and promotes cooperation between Tunisians to Libya and to evaluate the and the economic development of both cooperation potential between Tunisia and countries. Economic relations between Tunisia Libya in terms of labour migration. The study and Libya are excellent. Libya is Tunisia’s leading comprises four components: two quantitative economic partner in the Arab world and in surveys of a first sample of Tunisian returnees Africa, and its fifth biggest partner in the from Libya (TRLs),