How has the Tunisian diaspora responded when COVID-19 hit their country of origin? How did they support and engage with families, communities back in Tunisia? And did they coordinate with the wider humanitarian system when delivering humanitarian aid?

DEMAC has conducted a Real-time review between July and September 2021, providing a rapid analysis of the humanitarian response of Tunisian diaspora organizations to the fourth and most severe wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 crunched Tunisia

Although Tunisia coped well in responding to the first waves of COVID-19, the situation deteriorated dramatically with the fourth wave striking in July 2021. At that time, Tunisia reported the highest number of deaths per capita from COVID-19 in the Middle East and Africa. The government, previously coping well the situation, swiftly got overwhelmed with the response and called for support from its diaspora. 

Coordination with the Government

The Ministry of Health asked in November 2020 some 3,000 Tunisian doctors living abroad to consider returning to the country temporarily to help with the response. In July 2021, The Tunisian Embassy in Paris launched a direct appeal to diaspora asking them to contribute financial donations or in-kind medical equipment and materials.

The diaspora mobilized their own staff, volunteers and/or partnered with local civil society organizations for their COVID-19 responses. No diaspora organization reported collaborating with any UN agency or any other institutional humanitarian organization working in Tunisia, as they saw the Tunisian Ministry of Health, hospitals, and local civil society organizations as the most well-situated partners for their COVID-19 response.

“Our association had previously supported local organizations working with orphans and the disabled and it was to them we turned first to see how we could work together to fight COVID-19.”

Who are the Tunisian diaspora?

An estimated 6.9% (813,213) of the Tunisian population live abroad, with 77% living in Europe. The main countries of residence are France, the USA, Italy and Israel.

Since its independence in 1956, Tunisians have emigrated for work or educational reasons, with a strong surge in the 1960s and 1970s as the economic situation improved in France, the main destination for diaspora.

Of the 24 diaspora organizations mapped for this report, the majority were based in Europe. Many of the diaspora organizations were established by groups of Tunisian students and/or professionals for their social and professional development.

The inner workings of the Tunisian diaspora

Some Tunisian diaspora networks in Europe have been established before the COVID-19 outbreak and already supported people most in need in Tunisia. All assessed diaspora organizations were managed and governed by volunteers with only a few having permanent staff and a presence in Tunisia. Those with a base in Tunisia, were supported by volunteers and/or local civil society partners. With most Tunisian diaspora based in Europe, they knew first-hand of the risks and spread of COVID-19 before it became widespread in Tunisia and could therefore act early to support their homeland.

Tunisian diaspora engagement during COVID-19

The Tunisian diaspora engaged in several areas to mobilize resources:

1. Health
2. Food Security and Livelihoods
3. Awareness Raising
4. Information Sharing and Fundraising
5. Coordination
6. Economic Recovery

The main focus was on the health sector during the response to the fourth wave of July 2021.

Nearly all diaspora organizations were involved in setting up fundraising campaigns, mostly through social media and crowdfunding platforms, to fund the purchase of medical equipment and supplies for the country’s COVID-19 response. Those were then either purchased in Europe and then shipped to Tunisia or were purchased directly on the ground.

A few organizations, such as the Swiss coalition Urgence C19 Tunisie en Suisse, Tunis Aid, ATUGE and partners also solicited donations of second-hand equipment that was then shipped to Tunisia. Once in Tunisia, the dispatch and distribution of the equipment and materials was then organized by the Tunisian Ministry of Health, the diaspora organizations and/or their volunteers and local partners. Hospitals also received direct support from individual diaspora networks.

Find out more on the actions we propose to develop and strengthen the engagement of diaspora organizations during future humanitarian crises and in the COVID-19 recovery in Tunisia.