On Monday, France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said during a visit to Tunisia that his country will offer Tunisia 25.8 million euros to help it stop boats carrying migrants across the Mediterranean.
The money will pay for equipment and training and comes in addition to a €105m EU package announced by the EU Commission chief earlier this month to help Tunisia tackle a surge in migrants.
Perilous sea crossings, often on overcrowded, flimsy boats, have led to huge tolls in drownings, as well as a surge in migrant arrivals in Italy this year, causing political unrest in Europe.
The sinking of a boat carrying hundreds of migrants from Libya to Greece last week highlighted the dangers of the crossing.
Tunisian President Kais Saied said his country would not be a border guard for Europe, but he also announced a crackdown in February against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa living in the country.
That crackdown, which was announced using language the African Union said was racist, has apparently led to an increase in migrants leaving Tunisia.
The number of migrants from Tunisia is also increasing as the country grapples with a dismal economy and a looming public finance crisis.
The European Union has also offered Tunisia about €1 billion in financial aid if it agrees to an International Monetary Fund program that includes subsidy cuts and restructuring of state-owned enterprises.
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