The Algerian Foreign Ministry announced that it had summoned Niger’s ambassador over the “deportation of Nigerien citizens residing illegally in Algeria.”
This diplomatic move comes after Niamey summoned the Algerian ambassador in Niger to protest the deportations. Algeria has increasingly become a favored destination for irregular migrants from West and Central Africa in recent years.
Since 2014, tens of thousands of these migrants, seeking passage to Europe, have been deported from Algeria, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Some non-governmental organizations have also highlighted deportations at the border.
On Wednesday, the government of Niger’s military regime summoned the Algerian ambassador to protest the “violent nature” of the repatriation and expulsion operations of thousands of West African migrants from Algeria to Niger.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that the cooperation on the “deportation” of Nigerien citizens “was the subject of some judgments by the Nigerien authorities, which the Algerian side considers unfounded.”
The ministry added that it had summoned the Nigerien ambassador on Thursday and reminded him of the “existence of a bilateral framework dedicated to this issue,” emphasizing Algeria’s “firm commitment to the fundamental rules of good neighborliness and its willingness to continue coordination with Niger.”
Non-governmental organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), have denounced the “inhumane treatment” faced by West African migrants attempting to reach Europe.
On average, about 2,000 of these migrants are repatriated monthly from Algeria and Libya to neighboring Niger, facing harsh conditions during their forced return.
