Page 68 - FMR64_Trafficking and smuggling & Climate crisis and local communities_2020_web

FMR 64
68 Trafficking and smuggling
www.fmreview.org/issue64 June 2020

smugglers as a livelihoods alternative. they have not been entirely eliminated.
From the perspective of limiting flows Instead, smugglers and their clients have
through northern Niger these policies have been forced to take alternative routes around
been a success, with an estimated fivefold Agadez and other well-policed locations,
decrease from the pre-crackdown rates. often shifting into neighboring countries
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However, this reduction has also led such as Chad, where the routes are less
to numerous negative results. Firstly, safe or less well-known. Whereas, before,
by preventing all non-Nigerien citizens smugglers’ vehicles were accompanied by
from travelling north of Agadez, the anti- State-sanctioned security personnel, the
smuggling law unjustly limits regional ban now incentivises smugglers to avoid
mobility. Many of those migrants and asylum police and the military at all costs, even
seekers who have traditionally transited if it means abandoning passengers in the
through northern Niger should be permitted desert. As a result, although complete data
to migrate legally through the country. Niger are unavailable, mortalities appear to have
is a member of the Economic Community skyrocketed, with twice as many migrants
of West African States (ECOWAS), whose estimated to die crossing the Sahara desert
Common Approach on Migration prioritises than the Mediterranean. Furthermore,
4
freedom of movement for ECOWAS citizens tensions between the native and migrant
and emphasises the rights of migrants, populations have increased, a worrying sign
asylum seekers and refugees. This movement in a region already facing economic downturn
3
ban weakens Niger’s efforts on both fronts and the threat of non-State armed groups.
by hindering the ability of ECOWAS
nationals to circulate freely, and by impeding Policy responses and analysis
asylum seekers’ ability to flee armed Although some measures are being
conflict and other violence in neighbouring taken to protect those who are at risk of
countries such as Mali and Nigeria. being abandoned by smugglers who fear
In addition, this crackdown on smuggling punishment under the anti-smuggling
has had a severe impact on both the economy law, these need to be extended and better
in northern Niger – an isolated region in supported. For instance, donors should
one of the poorest countries in the world – consider increasing financial and logistical
and the economic opportunities available assistance for actors such as the International
to migrants and asylum seekers. The ban’s Organization for Migration (IOM) that is
abrupt implementation left Nigeriens with currently conducting life-saving search
no alternatives to the income they had been and rescue missions in the desert. This
earning from the estimated hundreds of additional funding could be coupled with
thousands of migrants and asylum seekers guarantees of amnesty from Nigerien
who crossed cities such as Agadez during law enforcement for smugglers willing to
the peak period of 2015 and 2016. This divulge the routes taken or the locations
Nigerien population includes not only of their stranded passengers. While this
former transporters but also those who ran two-pronged approach does not address
restaurants, hotels and shops used by those the underlying drivers of this phenomenon,
in transit. Furthermore, the curtailment it would go some way towards addressing
of transit through Niger of those seeking the mounting death toll in the Sahara.
employment opportunities in Algeria, Libya EU-funded livelihoods programmes
or elsewhere on the African continent has have been framed as an alternative for
further exacerbated economic pressures smugglers, largely through their funding
in an already challenging environment. of small business creation. However, these
Finally, this ban has created numerous programmes have been criticised for their
security risks for smugglers, their would-be slow roll-out times, strict eligibility criteria,
clients and the region’s broader population and limitations in terms of replacing the
alike. Although the flows have decreased, income previously generated through