Main area: Migration
Theme: Conditionality of aid to migration control outcomes
Assessment: Non ODA-eligible
Provider country: Italy
Recipient country: Tunisia
Implementing agency: UNOPS
Budget (EUR million): 12
Year(s): 2022
Purpose code: N/A
Case number: Migration / 2
Support to Tunisia’s border control and management of migration flows
Tunisia and Italy are separated by a thin stretch of the Mediterranean Sea, with distances as low as 141nm between ports. Over the years, this sea route has been used by human traffickers in carrying out the perilous transportation of illegal migrants. The Mediterranean Sea remains the deadliest migrant route, accounting for approximately 11 500 deaths from shipwrecks between 2016 and 2019. The Tunisian authorities and their international partners, including Italy, have made many efforts to prevent and reduce the activities of reckless traffickers, and to save the lives of vulnerable people undertaking these dangerous journeys. However, the commitment of the Tunisian Authorities to combat illegal migration has been mired by the lack of maintenance of patrol boats and some necessary equipment. In order to maintain the fleet of patrol boats in full operational status for sea border surveillance, there is a need for long-term maintenance contracts to cover predictive and corrective maintenance, in addition to the supply of spare parts and other equipment.
The main activities are:
Procurement of equipment, supplies and maintenance contracts of six vessels to support the maritime patrol fleet of the Tunisian Authorities and building their capacities in the respect of human rights.
Provision of maintenance services for six fast patrol boats over a period of two years in support of the Tunisian Maritime National Guard, covering: ordinary maintenance (predictive), extraordinary maintenance (corrective), spare parts for six vessels.
Project objectives and specific conditions on migration outcomes do not primarily contribute to the promotion of the economic development and welfare of the country.
Maintenance contracts for six fast patrol vessels are procured for two years.
The Tunisian Authorities’ needs for equipment and supplies are fulfilled.
The capacities of the Tunisian Authorities in the respect of human rights are strengthened.
This activity is deemed non ODA-eligible. The objective is not primarily developmental: it first and foremost responds to the provider’s domestic agenda (restricting irregular migration) but also contributes to support Tunisia and prospective migrants. This, in conjunction with the fact that the activity is subject to specific conditions on migration control outcomes, which do not primarily contribute to a developmental objective, confirms the non ODA-eligibility of the activity (see Principles 1, 3 and 6 and Criterion 2). While financing for routine civil policing functions and the provision of related non-lethal equipment, or training, is reportable as ODA (see DCD/DAC(2024)40/FINAL, paragraphs 123-125), the specific rules for migration related activities must be considered if the activity takes place in a migration context.
This work was approved and declassified by the Development Assistance Committee’s Working Party on Development Finance Statistics.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
© OECD 2025
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. By using this work, you accept to be bound by the terms of this licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Attribution – you must cite the work.
Translations – you must cite the original work, identify changes to the original and add the following text: In the event of any discrepancy between the original work and the translation, only the text of original work should be considered valid.
Adaptations – you must cite the original work and add the following text: This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed in this adaptation should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its Member countries.
Third-party material – the licence does not apply to third-party material in the work. If using such material, you are responsible for obtaining permission from the third party and for any claims of infringement.
You must not use the OECD logo, visual identity or cover image without express permission or suggest the OECD endorses your use of the work.
Any dispute arising under this licence shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012. The seat of arbitration shall be Paris (France). The number of arbitrators shall be one.
