TUNIS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti met with International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope in New York on Tuesday to discuss irregular migration, according to a statement issued by the Tunisian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of Nafti's participation in the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
During the talk, Nafti reaffirmed Tunisia's position that its territory should not become a place of settlement or transit for migrants, calling for a comprehensive approach to migration based on shared responsibility, respect for state sovereignty, human rights, and efforts to combat human trafficking, the statement read.
The minister also urged stronger international efforts to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and develop balanced solutions that curb irregular flows while promoting regular pathways, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to the statement.
Pope, for her part, praised the cooperation between the IOM and Tunisia, highlighting the importance of development programs and efforts to dismantle human-trafficking networks, it added. ■