By Adam Abass

Niger’s ancient city of Agadez has long been a transit route for illegal migrants and asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.  In 2015, over a million illegal migrants and asylum seekers attempted this journey, creating a political and humanitarian crisis for EU countries. To address this surge, the Nigerien government, with the support of the European Union, enacted law 2015-36 in May 2015 that prohibited the illegal smuggling of migrants. This Legislation significantly reduced the flow of Migrant from Agadez to Libya, or Algeria then Europe.  

However, the wave of coup d’etat rocking the Sahel region reached Niger, and the civilian government was overthrown. Consequently, the EU sanctioned the junta government and withdrew financial support. In response, the junta government of Niger repealed the anti-migration law, thereby decriminalizing the flow of migrant to Europe-an action that can significantly impact the migration dynamics between Europe and Africa.

Back to Business

The abrogation of the anti-migration policy encouraged human traffickers and smugglers as well as other actors that are involved in the illegal migration business to resume their activities. Smugglers, aided by army escort in some instances, are now transporting people northwards freely with no fear of being arrested or their vehicles impounded by the authorities.  The resumption of illegal migration activities has interestingly boosted the economy of the population of Agadez, whose economic activities depend on the migrant movement.  The economic eco-system around migration including transport, hospitality, restaurant and money transfer are once again thriving, as migrants from West African countries are pulling to bus stations in Agadez to be transported to north African countries and then onwards to Europe.

Data from the International organisation for migration (IOM) indicates that there was a 50% increase in migrant movement from Niger between December 2023 and January 2024, and a 94% increase in the Number of migrant crossing Libya to get to Europe. While European and North African countries are preparing for another significant wave of migrant inflow, Niger authorities and migration beneficiaries in Agadez are actively facilitating these flows.

North Africa & Europe should brace up:

The revoked law undoubtedly represents a setback for the EU given the amount of money spent on migration policy in transit countries to contain the flow of migrants. However, with the migrant flow and its routes reopening in Agadez, north African countries and the EU should prepare for a massive influx of migrant which is already beginning to manifest. According to recent data and report from the IOM there has been a significant increase in migrant flow to Libya and has been the highest since the UN migration body became operational in the country, with 719,064 migrant inflow into the country, between January and February this year. For the EU countries especially Spain whose coastal community of the Canary Island has been the busiest route since the year began according to Frontex,  the number of migrants into Europe has doubled according to the Spanish Authorities between January and March 2024, with 12,393 migrants reaching the canary island compared to the 2,170 during the same period last year. This indicates a significant increase in migration, with more migrants expected to attempt to reach Europe,  as the boat season approaches.

While Brussels has recognized the amount of inflow to its territory, it has stepped up its counter-migration strategy alongside other EU countries, in cooperation with transit routes countries.  But this comes at a great and deadly cost for Africans embarking on the perilous journey.  

Europe’s response:

The EU and EU countries most especially Italy and Spain, have been at the frontline of responding to the Migrant inflow, as the boat season approaches, and transit routes like Agadez are reopened. EU countries have been forging partnerships and cooperation with transit countries, such as Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Algeria through which these migrants get to Europe. This year alone several deals have been reached between North African transit countries and EU countries to turn down migrants and repatriate them before they reach Europe. With these deals come the draconian and inhumane practices of the border forces of these countries which the EU funds and train, where migrants are being turned back into the desert, leaving them susceptible to sexual violence, starvation, and armed groups’ attacks and even death.

The EU migration response aided by African countries in turn has negatively impacted migrants embarking on such dangerous journeys, as past incidents of abuses by authorities in the transit countries have proven brutal, the new EU scramble for partners in its counter-migration policy might worsen migrant treatment.

Similarly, the EU policy response has made these partner countries dumping grounds or resettling sites for migrants, which then strains the partner country’s ability to cope with the crisis, thus increasing pressure on the country’s limited economic resources. Lastly, both the EU and its partner countries should develop and implement robust policies that reduce migrant inflows into the EU without endangering migrants or compromising the partner countries capacity to accommodate them.