Niger Junta Revokes Law Aimed at Slowing Migration

The junta in Niger on Saturday, November 25 invalidated a law from 2015 that aimed to control the transportation of migrants from African nations through Niger as they make their way to Europe. This decision was announced on Monday evening on state television.

Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the leader of Niger's junta, issued a decree on November 25th stating that the convictions made under the law would be nullified. The circular from the Ministry of Justice mentioned that those who were convicted under the law would be considered for release. 

This revocation of the law introduces a new element to the escalating political tensions between Niger and EU countries, which had imposed sanctions on Niger following the coup in July that removed the democratically elected president and installed the junta.

The Agadez region in Niger acts as a passage between West Africa and the Sahara. It serves as a crucial pathway for both Africans attempting to reach Libya to cross the Mediterranean into Europe and for those returning home with assistance from the United Nations. However, this route has also become a profitable area for human traffickers.

As a result, Niger's government, in collaboration with the European Union, implemented a legislation in 2015 to halt the movement of over 4,000 migrants who lack travel documents and pass through Agadez each week. This law grants authority to security forces and courts to bring smugglers to justice, potentially resulting in a maximum prison sentence of five years for those convicted.

Niger, a key transit country on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, has experienced a significant decline in the number of migrants passing through due to legal measures In 2015. 

This decline, however, has had negative consequences for towns and villages because they catered for the migrants and some had earlier had business with smugglers.  

In response, the European Union established the Trust Fund for Africa, allocating 5 billion euros in 2015 to address the root causes of migration. Despite this effort, many individuals believed that the fund was insufficient. Consequently, areas like the historic city of Agadez, which serves as a popular entry point to the Sahara, witnessed a surge in unemployment.