President Kais Saied claimed migration from sub-Saharan Africa was geared toward altering his nation’s demographic make-up.

The African Union (AU) has criticised Tunisia and urged it to keep away from “racialised hate speech” following President Kais Saied’s feedback directed at migrants from elsewhere on the continent.

Saied ordered the expulsion of undocumented migrants from Tunisia on Tuesday, saying immigration was a plot geared toward altering his nation’s demographic composition. Native rights activists condemned his feedback, calling them “racist”.

In a press release issued late on Friday, the AU Fee stated it had referred to as Tunisia’s consultant for an pressing assembly to register “deep shock and concern on the kind and substance” of the remarks on behalf of the continent-wide bloc.

“The Chairperson of the African Union Fee H. E. Moussa Faki Mahamat strongly condemns the surprising assertion issued by Tunisian authorities focusing on fellow Africans which go towards the letter and the spirit of our Group and founding ideas,” learn the assertion.

The AU reminded Tunisia of its obligation inside the 55-member bloc. Faki stated AU member states have been obligated “to deal with all migrants with dignity, wherever they arrive from, chorus from racialised hate speech that might deliver individuals to hurt, and prioritise their security and human rights”.

The Chairperson of the African Union Fee @AUC_MoussaFaki strongly condemns the racial statements on fellow Africans in #Tunisia.https://t.co/9joF5kzhaY pic.twitter.com/7DQPkEYLkg

— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) February 25, 2023

Tunisia’s international ministry stated on Saturday it was stunned by the AU assertion and rejected what it referred to as “baseless accusations” that it stated misunderstood the federal government’s place.

Saied, who has seized nearly complete energy since a dramatic July 2021 transfer towards parliament, urged his nationwide safety council on Tuesday to take “pressing measures” to sort out irregular migration.

“The undeclared objective of the successive waves of unlawful immigration is to think about Tunisia a purely African nation that has no affiliation to the Arab and Islamic nations,” he stated.

Saied’s feedback have been praised by the French far-right politician Eric Zemmour. This comes as his marketing campaign of arrests has triggered widespread worry amongst sub-Saharan Africans in addition to Black Tunisians.

Tunisian rights teams have accused Saied of hate speech.

“It’s a racist method similar to the campaigns in Europe,” Romdhane Ben Amor, spokesperson for the Tunisian Discussion board for Financial and Social Rights (FTDES), instructed Reuters information company on Tuesday. “The presidential marketing campaign goals to create an imaginary enemy for Tunisians to distract them from their fundamental issues.”

The president stated these accusing him of racism “need division and discord and search to break our relationships with our brothers”.

Saied stated he was not racist and that migrants dwelling in Tunisia legally had nothing to worry.

On Saturday, rights teams deliberate to carry an illustration to protest towards Saied’s feedback and the clampdown on migrants and refugees.

Based on official figures quoted by the FTDES, Tunisia, which has a inhabitants of some 12 million, is house to greater than 21,000 residents from sub-Saharan African international locations.