A United Nations report has observed a 50% increase in migration waves starting from Niger towards Libyan territory since last December, as a direct result of the military council in Niamey abolishing the law criminalizing human smuggling across borders.
The level of irregular migrant flows to Libya and Algeria has significantly increased ever since the military in Niamey enacted new measures in retaliation against Europeans who imposed sanctions on them following the recent coup against the rule of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
In this context, a report by the International Organization for Migration, reported by French media today, Monday, clarifies that the flow of migrants is continuously increasing since December 2023, attributing the reasons to Niger’s cancellation of law 036/2015, which criminalizes human smuggling, a law that was passed in 2015 before being repealed last November.
In northern Niger, a region that serves as a passage for migrants from Sub-Saharan African countries towards Libya, Algeria, or Europe, the flow of migrants across the border has increased by 50%, according to new data from the UN organization.
The main nationalities of the people observed at migrant flow monitoring points are 75% Nigerien, 7% Nigerian, 5% Chadian, and 2% Malian.
Nigerien nationals engage in what is described as circular migration between Niger and the Maghreb countries, in search of economic opportunities, unlike migrants from other nationalities who head towards the borders of Europe.
On Niger’s Anti-Migration Law:
In 2015, Niamey passed an anti-migration law funded by the “European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa” with a value of 5 billion euros. Between 2014 and 2020, over one billion euros from the fund were allocated to Niger, which, with this legal provision, was a strategic partner in the European Union’s migration policy before this cooperation was suspended. The military considered the aforementioned law to have been established “under the influence of external forces and does not take into account the interests of Niger and its citizens”, as part of their justification for repealing the law, which was widely welcomed by the inhabitants of the region.
The pressures on the borders with Niger, Chad, and Sudan are increasing in light of the disturbances in neighboring countries, most of whom will try their luck in reaching the Libyan coast in hopes of making it to the other side of Europe.
The background on illegal immigration from Africa highlights the complexity and diversity of migration patterns on the continent, driven by a mix of push and pull factors. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies notes that the number of documented migrants within and from Africa has almost doubled since 2010, indicating a significant increase in migration flows. This trend is influenced by various factors, including conflict, repressive governance, and limited economic opportunities, with nine of the top 15 African countries of origin for migrants being in conflict. Additionally, most African migration remains within the continent, with significant numbers also moving to Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
