TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia and Italy agreed to step up efforts to send Tunisian migrants identified as illegally staying in Italy back to their country and improve both countries' cooperation.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday "the priority is to improve the conditions of return of these migrants," speaking during an official visit to Tunisia.

Salvini also pledged to work on additional Italian investments to create jobs especially in southern Tunisia, where most Tunisian migrants come from.

His counterpart, Hichem Fourati, said Tunisian authorities were ready to accept returns of confirmed Tunisian citizens.

Salvini also met with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi. The right-wing Italian minister is backing hard-line anti-migrant policies and has blocked humanitarian rescue ships from Italian ports to reduce the number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea.