Migrants and refugees stranded in Niger
For years, Niger has been a transit country for a large number of migrants and refugees who cross the Saharan countries to the north. The city of Agadez is still the starting point for many convoys travelling through the desert to Algeria and Libya, although there are more and more secret migration routes away from cities, also due to the increased criminalisation of the transport of migrants. The EU, which has externalised its border regime on African soil, is investing billions of euros in African transit countries such as Niger to stop migrants on their way and force them to return to their countries of origin. And the northern bordering country Algeria has been carrying out mass deportations to Assamaka on Niger's border for years, mostly of West African citizens. Also, from Libya migrants and asylum seekers come to Agadez after they have fled Libya again because of torture and imprisonment.
The corona crisis considerably aggravates this already very difficult situation. Faced with the Covid-19 crisis, many of these migrants and refugees, who can neither go forward on their journey nor return to their countries of origin, now find themselves stranded in Niger. And so many thousands of people are trapped in extremely severe conditions in Niger and increasingly in Agadez. Even for Nigerien citizens, the state does not provide adequate public infrastructure, medical care and services, and even less for refugees and migrants.
