By Argyll Cyrus Geducos  President Duterte expressed his gratitude to the Tunisian government for assisting Filipinos in exiting Libya, and relayed his desire to work closer with the North African country on the issue of migrant workers. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
(ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Chief Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Relations Robert Borje conveyed the President's message to Tunisian Acting Foreign Minister Sabri Bachtobji during their meeting last week. In a statement, Malacañang said Duterte lauded the Tunisian government’s vital role in the region as he expressed gratitude to Tunisia for assisting Filipinos exiting Libya. This year, around 142 Filipinos from the war-torn North African state have been repatriated by the Philippine government. However, there are still 2,300 OFWs in Tripoli, despite the Duterte administration’s call for a mandatory evacuation. The Palace also said that the Philippines and Tunisia agreed to strengthen cooperation to address the plight of migrants, particularly as the Philippine government repatriates its citizens affected by uncertainty in Northern Africa. "The President also wants to work with Tunisia not only on the issues of migrant workers but also on security aiming to achieve deeper relations despite the distance," Malacañang said. Bachtobji, meanwhile, told Borje that it was very important for the Philippines and Tunisia to work together, stressing it was Tunisia’s duty to assist distressed citizens, including Filipinos, fleeing conflict. Both, likewise, recognized the long-standing cooperation between the Philippines and Tunisia to assist distressed Filipinos displaced by instability and strife in nearby countries. The Philippines and Tunisia also agreed on the need for both countries to continue working closely to further enhance mechanisms of assistance. Bachtobji said Tunisia, which will assume as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, could play a significant role in achieving global security and stability on top of its initiatives towards addressing the condition of distressed migrants. Borje said the Philippines will continue to support Tunisia as it becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for two years beginning in January 2020. Because of its strategic location, Tunisia, along with Malta and Egypt, has been a major exit point for Filipinos going out of Libya.