Darfur Livelihoods and Libya: Trade, Migration and Remittance Flows in Times of Conflict and Crisis

The Economics of Forced Migration

Darfur Livelihoods and Libya: Trade, Migration and Remittance Flows In Times of Conflict and Crisis

Helen Young Feinstein International Famine Center Overview • Methodology & approach • Background and context • Migration & trade routes • Darfurians in Kufra • Remittance mechanisms & flows • Impact of conflict on Darfurians Approach to fieldwork • Partnerships - Libyan Red Crescent - (El Kufra University) - Ahfad University, Khartoum • Libya Tufts team: o Abdal Monium Osman o Rebecca Dale • Fieldwork in Libya: o Benghazi o Kufra • Livelihoods framework

GOALS r

a t

OUTCOMES & B

e F STRATEGIES PROCESSES, INSTITUTIONS & POLICIES & ACCESS INFLUENCE LIVELIHOODS FRAMEWORK

ASSETS/ LIABILITIES Qualitative methods

• Key informant semi-structured interviews o government - customs, immigration, veterinary services o Academics – University of El Kufra o Sudan embassy o Formal Sudanese Groups e.g. Sudanese Popular Committee • Semi-structured individual interviews • Focus group interviews o PRA techniques:

Mapping

Ranking

Timelines

Proportional piling

Direct observation Background and context

• Historic links – trade, migration, religion • Oil & the economy • Economic sanctions & links with terrorism • Libya & its foreign workforce

Open door policy followed by crackdowns

Further restrictions in early 2004 • 150,000 to 250,000 Darfurians in Libya o 4% of Darfur’s population o 25% of households with a family member in Libya Causes of conflict in Darfur

• National level processes o Economic & political marginalization of Darfur o Wider regional conflicts o Tactical manipulation of ethnic identities by central authorities • Local level processes o Failing institutions – NA, judiciary, policing o Failing development – services o Pressure on & competition for natural resources o Political polarization between tribal groups Migration and trade routes

Al Kufrah

EGYPT

LIBYA Wadi Halfa WADI HALFA

Elawynat ABRI

ABU H DELGO

Qarab Eltom ARGO

DONGOLA Dongola SHERRI

KARIMA NORTHERN EL SH Atrun

MARAWI

E CHAD EL MALEHA SUDAN UMM BARRO ED DABBA EL MAT

WAD HAMED

HAMRAT OMDURMAN ESH SHEIKH SHAMEL NORTH DARFUR NORTH KORDOFAN Omdru SAWDARI HAMRAT EL WIZ Khartoum LEGEND Malha Tini (Wells)

KARNOY KOTTOM International bounda Harmat al Sheik State boundary MILLET Sodari SILEL AH Kutum ES SERIF Melit Province boundary KORMA KABKABIYA Camel trade routes Al Jeneina SERIF OMAR EL FASHIR Um Kedada Kabkabiya Um Bal Dongolawi donkey ro A N I Serif Omra Al Fashir E State capital N TAWILAH UMM KEDADA E GULU Dam Jamad G KATTAL Other towns L Zalinge E AZOM An Nahud Beida ZALINGEI NERTITI NYALLA SOQA KASS NORTH NYALLA EJ JAMEL GARSEILA EAST EL LE AEIT Goz Beida WEST DARFURNyala EN NABI Foro Burunga WEST KORDOFAN S N Majajuria O Y U A KUBUM T L MUKJAR H L A A Y W A E ED D AEIN B S 01503 A T M 4 A Rahad al Birdi Z SOUTH DARFUR Babanusa kilometres Migration flows

30,000 Surge in 1993 25,000 Decline in 2004: 20,000 •Border closure May 2004 Arrivals 15,000 Departures •Insecurity north Darfur 10,000 •Absorption into tribal militias

5,000 and warring factions

0 2 9 9 94 96 98 00 9 9 9 9 9 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2002 2004

Source: Focus group exercises Darfur Livelihood Strategies

Cultivation Livestock Trade Labour migration Natural resources Kufra & Jinciya – a transnational trade hub Employment in Kufra Livelihoods of Sudanese before the border closure and mid 2004 (excludes those in transit)

80% 70% 60% 50% Before 40% 30% Current 20% 10% 0% f s s s rs ts ic e ers n taf n der der k e s rers a a rm r v o ha tr a ag c Tr F wo l la b ck ve me o nt t ra a nd es u Tr Daily v i sta and non go rs a L e . ve R v ri Construction workers D Go Rates of pay • Unskilled daily labourer: $2 per day

• Unskilled agricultural worker: $90 per month

• Experienced cook: $450 per month

• Skilled tailor: $190 to $380 per month

• Experienced lorry driver: $450 per journey to Darfur (7 days)

• Caravan herder: $188 per journey

• Caravan leader/ guide: $1128 per journey Remittance Mechanisms & Flows - • Per annum

•Banks o Higher paid workers: $812 - • Hand-carried by $958 (up to 40%) o Unskilled workers: $271 - individuals in cash and $319 (20-30%) kind • Married men send more •Hawalasystem: cash • Goods – clothes, rice, and trade based sugar, pasta, infant linking Libya, Arab formula, oil States and Sudan

Phone Hawaldar communication Hawaldar in Remitter in Kufra Gesira Remittee in Kufra LIBYA SUDAN in Gesira LD 60 ($45) SP 100,000 ($39) under siege’ Impact of conflict • Insecurity restricts freedom of movement – ‘livelihoods

• Border closure blocks international migration and remittance flows between Libya and Darfur • Government closure of banks and customs points in North Darfur • Blocking transnational trade – especially livestock • Implications for war economy and taxation? • Inflation in Darfur of basic commodities (food, household goods) • Loss of remittances: $15,000,000 (25% of 200,000 migrants remitting $300 per annum) • Increase in distress migration to Khartoum • Breakdown in communications Conclusions & Recommendations

• Dual pressures on migrants – conflict & conditions in Libya

• Recommendations o Improve phone communications (mobile networks and access to landline) o Extend family tracing and reunification programmes o Open border with Libya – issue for peace talks o Improve security of transport routes & public transport o Discourage recruitment activity & support local skills development o Moves to legalize Sudanese migrants in Libya o End discrimination in Libya – health tests, food subsidies, education & healthcare Thank you

Feinstein International Famine Center Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy Tufts University 126 Curtis Street Medford MA 02155, USA www.famine.tufts.edu

Tufts University Medford, MA 02155, USA www.tufts.edu

150 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02111, USA http://nutrition.tufts.edu/