Tunis — Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali estimated, on Wednesday in Tunis, that the radical solution to illegal immigration is to consecrate an interdependent development process based on incentive to investment and youths' promotion, through the establishment of vocational training structures in regions known for their high number of illegal migrants.

"The eradication of illegal immigration is only possible through a support to the organised migratory flow that Europe is in need of today, in spite of the economic difficulties this continent is living through," Mr. Jebali explained when opening, on Wednesday, a conference organised by the Secretariat of State to Migration and Tunisians Abroad, on the theme "Tunisia's Migratory Policy: Stakes and Prospects."

The government intends to devise a national migratory policy which proposes a comprehensive and strategic vision of this important file and endeavours to set up a coherent political and institutional framework to manage the migratory issue's various aspects, he pointed out.

Taking the floor, Secretary of State to Migration and Tunisians Abroad Houssine Jaziri said that according to the Foreign Ministry's recent statistics, the number of Tunisians living abroad had reached 1.2 millions in 2010, compared with 600,000 in 2000, which stands at nearly 5.2% rise.

The creation of a national observatory for migration as an institution of statistics, analysis and research on the migratory issue and its present and future repercussions, constitutes an adequate response to the request expressed by researchers and decision-makers, as part of a system in charge of the Tunisian community abroad, he explained.

The creation of a Tunisian agency for immigration and development aims to polarise Tunisian competences abroad and energise their participation in the comprehensive development process, Mr. Jaziri pointed out.

In another connection, Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) Secretary-General Houssine Abassi called for evaluating and reviewing the agreements concluded with European countries, in light of the challenges facing the Tunisian community abroad.