Summary:

On 27 November 2023, the military government of Niger that took power via coup d’etat in late July 2023 announced that a controversial law criminalizing the transport of migrants had been repealed, creating the potential for North Africa and, subsequently, Europe to experience a surge in irregular migration. 

The law, which was adopted in 2015, was effectively a security agreement and partnership between the former government of Niger and the European Union designed to help stem the flow of migrants to Europe. However, as anti-Western and specifically anti-French sentiment has driven a change in Niger’s political landscape, the new government is reviewing its historic agreements and ties to Europe. 

Meanwhile, on 2 December 2023, Niger and Burkina Faso both announced their withdrawal from the partnership, which was designed to provide a coordinated, multinational approach to counterterrorism in the Sahel.

Outlook: 

The repeal of Niger’s controversial law that previously criminalized activities facilitating migration could lead to a surge in arrivals of irregular migrants in Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya.  

With a vast network of black and grey markets that facilitate the movement of migrants northward, there is much money to be made by smugglers and grey market employers across the Sahel and North Africa.  

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