On Monday 4 June, the committees on civil liberties (LIBE) and development (DEVE) of the European Parliament presented the results of their missions to investigate migration, carried out in Niger in April and Libya in May.
The conclusions presented by the delegations flag up the differences between the two countries. In Libya, the LIBE committee focused on internal political instability and the management and mastery of migration flows, whilst in Niger, emphasis was laid on the importance of the resilience of the government, against the backdrop of the insecurity surrounding the country.
Niger is one of five priority partner countries of the European Union in migration matters. It is a key transit country between sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean and in the return home of migrants trapped in Libya.
Common concerns shared by Niger and the European Union were highlighted by the head of the EU delegation to the country, Raul Mateus Paula, such as illegal migration and people-trafficking. “We are not opposed to migration, we are opposed to illegal migration”, said Mano Aghali, a parliamentarian from the region of Agadez.
EU support for Niger focuses on development and security. The revision of the European Development Fund (EDF), referred to by Linda McAvan (S&D, UK), chair of the DEVE committee, earmarks €686 million for Niger. From a security point of view, €230 million has been provided through the emergency trust fund for Africa to pay for support in tackling the trafficking of people, weapons and drugs.
The role of the 'G5 Sahel' in coordinating immigration initiatives was also highlighted, along with that of the 'EUCAP Sahel Niger' mission.
International organisations and several MEPs have expressed concern at the predominance of security in the EU's approach to migration matters, and its humanitarian consequences, such as police repression or migrants being afraid to ask for humanitarian assistance. They made the case for the importance of developing institutional capacity at local level. (Original version in French by Carmen Garcia, intern)