March - May 2016 Quarterly newsletter No. 4

IOM mauritaniA

A view of the PK55 border crossing point located north of the coastal city of Nouadhibou. ©IOM/F. Giordani 2015

contents

IOM opens four new border posts in Southern Mauritania ...... 2 IOM trains Mauritanian journalists on how to report on migration and trafficking ...... 3 IOM builds new slaughtering facility in the M’Béra Refugees Camp ...... 5 Immigration and border management in Mauritania and in the Sahel ...... 7 Progress in Adala’s integrated farm ...... 12 First AVRR beneficiaries return to heir home countries ...... 13 IOM constructs a border post along the Mauritania - Mali border ...... 14 IOM opens four new border posts in Southern Mauritania On March 11, 2016, commissioned in the pres- Because of its geographi- IOM inaugurated four new ence of guests including cal position, the porosity border posts in Southern the Deputy Governor of of its borders, and bilateral Mauritania as part of the the Gorgol region, repre- agreements on exemption activities of the project sentatives from the Mau- of visa requirements, the “Strengthening migration ritanian Gendarmerie, the Islamic Republic of Mauri- management in Maurita- European Union Delega- tania, like most West Afri- nia through a better bor- tion in Mauritania, IOM can countries is faced with der management strategy staff, as well as students increased migration flows and assistance to irregular and families from sur- which affect not only the migrants” funded by the rounding areas. migrants, but their coun- European Union. tries of origin, their transit These four border posts and destination countries, The new border posts will greatly contribute to both positively and nega- of Sagné, Hammod, El enhancing Mauritania’s tively. Melgué and Tenaha built migration and border by IOM Mauritania were management capacities. Photos: ©IOM/B. Malum 2016

With funding from the European Union:

The new border posts of Sagne, El Melgue, Hammod and Tenaha will strengthen the Mauritanian gov- ernment’ migration and border management capacity as well as contribute to increasing security for residents in those towns.

March - May 2016 2 No. 4 The construction of the border posts is part of a 34-month project funded by the European Union and implemented by IOM Mauritania in direct collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation (MIDEC) and for the ben- efit of the Mauritanian Gendarmerie. The project aims to strengthen management of migratory flows in Mauritania through better border control and assistance to irregular migrants in Mauritania. Below is a picture of the newly con- structed border post of El Melgue. The new border posts are fully equipped with solar panels and a generator to ensure continuous work even during power outages.

March - May 2016 3 No. 4 IOM trains Mauritanian journalists on how to report on migration and trafficking context against trafficking in persons to encourage accurate reporting and to empower civil society ac- tors to take action against the phenomenon. The workshops span the entire duration of the pro- ject (until February 2017) and are divided into two parts: the first part - which is ongoing - focuses on sensitising Mauritanian journalists on migration, migrants’ rights and mi- grant’s protection so jour- nalists have a better under- standing of the challenges faced by migrants and the legal recommendations to Nouakchott, Mauritania, March 2016 - IOM Nouakchott Chief of Mission Anke STRAUSS introduces IOM’s work in Mauritania to journalists attending the first training workshop organized by IOM to address them. The second strengthen the knowledge and reporting capacities of Mauritanian journalists on migration-related part, scheduled to start issues. ©IOM/M. Boyd 2016 in September, will invite journalists develop writ- Journalists and the It also includes capaci- The training workshops ing skills by participating in media have focused the ty-building components organized by IOM in coop- practical workshops. world’s attention on the for the benefit of journal- eration with UN partners plight of migrants, refu- ists, border officials and in Mauritania , namely the Further activities are gees and victims of traf- the judiciary; and provid- Office of the United- Na scheduled as part of the ficking in persons around ing direct assistance to vic- tions High Commissioner project’ sensitization - ef the globe. It is because of tims of trafficking. for Human Rights (OHCHR), forts, including the devel- the key role the media play the International Labor opment of a sensitization in educating citizens about Findings from a study on Organization (ILO) and campaign, the develop- migration issues that jour- trafficking in persons con- the United Nations High ment of a comic strip car- nalists are at the heart ducted as part of a previ- Commission for Refugees toon on human traffick- of the project “Under- ous phase of the project (UNHCR), are designed to ing in Mauritania and the standing and addressing revealed an information fill this gap and will give organization of training trafficking in persons in gap on the issue of traf- Mauritanian journalists a workshops for border and Mauritania” implemented ficking in persons in Mau- better grasp of the legal judiciary officials. by IOM Nouakchott with ritania. As a result, media funding from the Govern- outlets did not adequately ment of the Federal Re- report on the issue. The With funding from the Government of public of Germany. study further revealed that the Federal Republic of Germany: Mauritanians were una- The 12-month phase ware of the country’s legal aims at increasing aware- frameworks for combat- ness in local communities ting trafficking in persons, of the dangers and effects such as the 2003 anti-traf- of trafficking in persons. ficking law.

March - May 2016 4 No. 4 IOM builds new slaughter facility in the M’Béra Refugees Camp The M’bera Refugee Camp finally has its own operational slaughter- house. The hygiene in the camp and the refugees’ health will greatly bene- fit from this installation, which has been built and equipped thanks to fund- ing from the Government of the United States. The inauguration of the slaugh- terhouse took place on Thursday, 26 March 2016 in the presence of the Hakem of Bassikounou, the inspector from the Ministry for Cattle Farm- ing, humanitarian partners and members from the butchers association. The new slaughter facility will contribute to increasing hygiene standards as well as refugees’ health in Southeastern Mauritania. ©IOM 2016 IOM is present in the livestock farming are some The new slaughter fa- conditions of slaughtering region through a project of the main sources of food cility includes a slaugh- practices that are more aimed at combating food for the refugees and the terhouse equipped with a frequent in the camp. The insecurity and increas- local residents. However, water supply and a sewage butchers who manage the ing livelihood opportu- the unsanitary conditions drainage system, as well slaughterhouse will be nities for the Malian - ref in which slaughtering prac- as essential slaughtering trained and supervised ugees who have settled tices take place increases tools and a dumpster to by a representative of the in Southeast Mauritania the chances of the spread dispose of animal excre- Ministry for Cattle Farming since 2012, as well as the of bacteria and puts both ment and waste. It will to ensure the respect of local communities hosting cattle and residents at risk contribute to increasing hygiene standards during them. Cattle-breeding and of diseases such as dys- the hygiene and health the slaughtering process. entery.

With funding from the Government of the United States of America:

IOM, humanitarian partners and government authorities inaugurate the new slaughter facility in M’bera. ©IOM 2016

March - May 2016 5 No. 4 andImmi Border Managementgrat (IBM)ion in Mauritania and in the Sahel Since the opening of the mission in 2006, IOM Mau- ritania has implemented Technical Cooperation (TC) projects including Immigration and Border Manage- ment (IBM) components. IOM Nouakchott’s IBM ac- tivities have been directed at helping the Islamic -Re public of Mauritania, as well as other Sahel states, create policy, administrative and operational struc- tures, and systems to adequately respond to the var- ious migration challenges faced by Mauritania and its Sahel neighbors. These activities include, among other things, the construction and rehabilitation of border posts, the training of border officials and the strengthening of bilateral and regional cooperation Immigration through training workshops aimed at encouraging humanitarian border management practices.

Left: Police officers take part in a border man- agement training session organised by IOM with funding from the European Union. Down: A Mauritanian police officers works on a data collection spreadsheet designed by IOM in partnership with the Mauritanian police to assist police officers in collecting key informa- tion on migrants and travellers at Mauritania’s borders. Photo credits: © IOM

Left: IOM staff Operational Assistance visit the construc- tion site of the new Fassala-Néré The Sahel represents one of the most border post built by unpredictable and volatile regions in IOM with funding Africa today. States in the Sahel, includ- from the Govern- ing the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ment of Japan. are not sufficiently equipped to effec- Photo credits: © IOM/A. Bee tively control their borders, ensure 2016 human security as well as prevent and respond to the various security threats the region is prone to. It is in this con- text and, in the light of its mandate to assist states in meeting the growing op- erational challenges of migration man- agement, that IOM works to strength- en the Mauritanian and the regional Sahel migration and border manage- ment capacities. This translates in part into the construction of border posts IOM has, with funding from its partners, constructed along Mauritania’s borders with Mali border posts along Mauritania’s southern border. Four and Senegal. border posts have been constructed in Sagné, Hamoud, El Melgué and Tenaha with funding from the European With only 47 land border posts to Union (see page 2 for more information) and one, con- cover more than 5,000 kilometres of structed with funding from the IOM Development Fund land borders and 800 kilometres of (IDF) was recently commissioned in Gogui on the Mau- coastline, border control and security ritania – Mali border. These new border posts not only management is a significant task for increase the capacity of Mauritanian security officials to which the Mauritanian government is manage the flow of migration in those areas, but they under-equipped. also provide security for border communities.

To strengthen the Mauritanian gov- The construction of two additional border posts in ernment’s border management efforts, Continues on the next page

March - May 2016 9 No. 4 Lexeiba II (under EU fund- ing) and Fassala Néré (with funding from the Govern- ment of Japan) is under way to add to the existing Mauritanian border man- agement infrastructure.

Training

In addition to strength- ening operational capaci- ties, IOM helps Mauritania by training immigration and border police officials.

Through several national and regional projects, IOM has facilitated training workshops for more than As part of the project “Enhancing the Collective Capacity for Managing Border and for Protecting Border 200 immigration and -bor Communities between Mauritania and Mali”, IOM trains police officers from both countries on migra- der officers in Mauritania tion data collection to strengthen the two countries’s operational border management capacity. Better information the flow of people at the borders will allow a better response and assistance to victims -traf with a global aim to con- ficking and smuggling. © IOM/M. Boyd 2016 tribute to better border management in Maurita- workshops for border of- curriculum and have fo- several humanitarian bor- nia and in the Sahel. ficials stationed at Mauri- cused on humanitarian der management training tania’s borders including border management, the workshops for Mauritani- Under the EU-funded airport police officers and essential IT skills required an and Malian immigration project “Strengthening border officials at border at border posts, and the and police officers under migration management in posts along Mauritania’s detection of fraudulent the Japan-funded project Mauritania through a bet- Southern border with Mali documents, among other “Enhancing the Collective ter border management and Senegal, and in Noua- things. Capacity for Managing strategy and assistance to dhibou. Border and for Protect- irregular migrants” (Janu- In parallel, IOM Maurita- ing Border Communities ary 2014 - October 2016), These training sessions nia has started in Aioun el- between Mauritania and IOM Nouakchott has con- are part of the special- Atrouss from 11 to 21 April Mali”. This project particu- ducted several training ized border management 2016 the first in a series of larly targets the improve- ment of the security of the vulnerable border area between Mauritania and Mali by enhancing the two countries’ collective capac- ity in border management.

“Our approach in this project is to create pairs of trainers (one from Mauri- tania and one from Mali) who will conduct training sessions in the two coun- tries and ensure the sus- tainability of the initiative, even after the end of the project”, explains Tomoko The three stages of intervention under IOM’s humanitarian border management program.

March - May 2016 10 No. 4 Mauritania Chief of Mis- sion, Anke Strauss.

Regional Cooperation

IOM is committed to strengthening regional security cooperation by encouraging a regional approach to border man- agement through close partnership with govern- mental counterparts.

Conscious that border management is essentially A view of the Tenaha border post built by IOM with funding from the European Union. All the border posts con- an international endeav- structed by IOM are equipped with solar panels to complement grid electric power as well as a generator to our, IOM appeals to Sahel prevent loss of information during power shortages in the area of the border post. © IOM/B. Malum 2016 countries to partake in the common goals and objec- Sato, Project Manager for ing assistance provided training modules to rep- tives linked to better mi- IOM Nouakchott. “Based by IOM is anchored in the resentatives from the Na- gration management for on the harmonized strate- existing Training Strategy tional School of Police (in the benefit of all. gies, this project will con- of National Police of Mau- Mauritania) and officers tribute to the overall se- ritania developed in 2013. in charge of border man- The construction of -jux curity in the border area In Mali, IOM supports the agement, including the taposed border crossings by achieving the stronger development of the capac- ones stationed at the bor- and the establishment of bilateral coordination and ity building strategy for the der posts with Mali, under computer systems (as is the information sharing mech- Border Police. other IOM project funded case with Gogui and Gogui anisms between the Bor- by the EU. Zamal under IDF funding) der Polices of Mauritania Under this project, IOM that allow the exchange and Mali, the improved is planning to cover the “We are careful to create of operational information performance of the Border delivery of the national synergies and complemen- are some of IOM’s initia- Police officials and the ac- training modules to 150 tarity between IOM pro- tives to enhance border tive participation of local Mauritanian Border Police jects and with other part- management efforts at the communities in the protec- officials and 130 Malian ners working on border regional level. tion of security of the bor- Border Police officials. This security in order to use our der area”, she added. will have a great synergy resources more efficiently along with the support for and avoid the duplication In Mauritania, the train- the delivery of the same of activities”, said IOM

IOM’s current immigration and border management projects in Mauritania are separately funded by the European Union, the Government of Japan and the IOM Development Fund (IDF):

March - May 2016 11 No. 4 Progress in Adala’s integrated farm High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to establish mixed commit- tees in order to strength- en community dialog be- tween refugees, migrants and their host communi- ties in the region. This is important because it of- fers an opportunity for the communities to discuss issues, thus limiting the chances of escalation of conflicts related to sharing land and natural resourc- es, and improving their peaceful coexistence.

In Adala, in Southeast Mauritania, IOM installed an integrated farm - with funding from the United States of America - as part of its activities to trengthen the livelihoods of residents affected by the Other activities im- influx of Malian refugees into Southeast Mauritania since the outbreak of violence in Northern Mali in plemented by IOM to 2012. © IOM/A. Bee 2016 strengthen the resilience of residents in Southeast According to statistics integrated farm, the dis- “We encourage resi- Mauritania include the from the UNHCR, more tribution of tree saplings, dents, especially women, distribution of nutritional than 150.000 people have and the construction of to take ownership of the supplements for livestock, been displaced since the a vaccination park and a integrated farm initiative the construction of a vac- beginning of fighting in slaughterhouse are some and we have already seen cination park and the- or Northern Mali in 2012. of the activities IOM is good results. The growth ganization of vaccination In the M’Bera Refugees implementing to diversify of tomatoes, watermelon sessions for livestock, the Camp, in South-eastern the sources of livelihood and millet plants is con- distribution of solar lamps Mauritania, more than of residents and increase stant, and the marketing and tree saplings, the reha- 50.000 Malians have slow- food security in the region. of chicken is successful in bilitation of a water supply ly gotten used to their new local markets around Ada- facility and the establish- life. An integrated farm in- la, Adel Bagrou and Bas- ment of mixed committees cludes a chicken coop, a sikounou”, said Momme to strengthen dialogue be- The arrival of more than fish pond and a vegetable Ducros, the project man- tween refugees and host 50,000 Malian refugees garden, and is designed ager for IOM Mauritania. communities. with their herds nearly to facilitate farm diversi- doubled the population fication with a minimum IOM has also worked in of the department of Bas- input of external resourc- partnership with the Unit- sikounou, creating consid- es: waste water from the ed Nations Office for the erable pressure on the al- fish pond is used for the ready fragile environment, irrigation of the vegetable With funding from the Government of as well as intense compe- garden, while vegetable the United States of America: tition for firewood, water waste and manure from and pasture between the the chicken coop and from host communities and the local animals are reutilized refugees. as compost to fertilize the garden. The establishment of an

March - May 2016 12 No. 4 First AVRR beneficiaries return to their home countries

STEP 3 Embassies of the STEP 2 Migrants and families are migrants’ countries of selected and prioritized origin are contacted to based on set vulnerability ensure the migrants are criteria. given free travel docu- ments for their return. STEP 4 The migrants are accompanied back to their countries of origin.

STEP 1 Vulnerable migrants living in STEP 5 IOM missions in the irregular situations in Maurita- countries of origin facili- nia are invited to apply for the tate the reintegration of AVRR programme. the migrants in their com- munities towards their self-su ciency.

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) at IOM Mauritania

IOM’s Assisted Volun- Saharan Africa, North “The beneficiaries Before their departure, tary Return and Reinte- Africa and Europe makes have been able to re- the beneficiaries took gration (AVRR) initiative it a destination and transit turn to their country of part in an information offers a humane, dignified country for migrants from origin under the AVRR session organised by IOM and sustainable return across the world trying to programme”, explained to assess their needs for option to vulnerable mi- reach Europe. Dwindling IOM Mauritania Chief of psychosocial support and grants stranded or blocked economic opportuni- Mission Anke Strauss. “We guide them in the imple- in their host country, and ties and volatile security worked closely with the mentation of their socio- who are genuinely desir- often leads thousands of embassies of the benefi- economic reintegration of ing to return home. individuals to leave their ciaries’ home countries activities. countries in search for to provide them with Since January 2016, better living and work counselling and travel IOM Mauritania’s AVRR IOM Mauritania has been opportunities. When their documents, and with IOM activities are funded by piloting an AVRR program journeys are met with missions in those coun- the European Union, the for migrants living in an difficulties, these individu- tries to set up adequate Humanitarian Assistance irregular situation and/ als become stranded and reintegration programs for Stranded Migrants or blocked in the Islamic struggle to integrate the that will benefit both the (HASM) fund and the Gov- Republic of Mauritania. transit country they find beneficiaries and their ernment of Spain. Mauritania’s geographic themselves in. communities”, she added. location connecting Sub-

With funding from the Humanitarian Assistance for Stranded Migrants (HASM) fund, the European Union and the Kingdom of Spain:

March - May 2016 13 No. 4 IOM constructs a border post along the Mauritania - Mali border

Malian police officers try out the new migration management software designed by IOM to better manage the flow of people at crossing points installed at the Gogui border post. © IOM 2016 Mauritania, Mali - April A 2013 IOM study “Mali Mauritanian border patrol border post. 27, 2016 - IOM opened Crisis: A Migration Per- officers. on April 27, 2016 a new spective” revealed that IOM has also provided border post in Gogui, in smugglers and traffick- The Gogui border post training and equipment Western Mali on the fron- ers increasingly used the is fully equipped with IT to Malian border officials tier with Mauritania. The border area between the equipment including the to reinforce operational construction of this - bor two countries to transport Migration Information procedures and standard der post was done under a people, weapons, drugs or and Data Analysis Sys- practices on joint patrols USD 200,000 project fund- contraband goods towards tem (MIDAS) designed by along the Mali – Maurita- ed by the IOM Develop- North Africa and beyond IOM which enables Ma- nia border. ment Fund to strengthen (See also the March 2013 lian immigration officers joint border management UN Report of the Secre- to capture biographic and between the Republic of tary-General on the situa- biometric data in order to Mali and the Islamic Re- tion in Mali). create a record of all mi- public of Mauritania by grants passing through the constructing a border post This new border post in Gogui (on the Malian will add to the existing side), and conducting joint border management in- Project funded by the IOM Development Fund border management train- frastructure in Mali, and ing workshops to Malian will contribute to consoli- and Mauritanian border dating security coopera- officials. tion between Malian and

March - May 2016 14 No. 4 i am a migrant

1,605 km from home

Current Country: "You conceive & build up your Mauritania life in one direction for thirty Country of Origin: years & suddenly the war arrives Cote d'Ivoire &takes it all away from you." Delphine

CHALLENGE JOIN THE CAMPAIGN ANTI-MIGRANT HATE SPEECH CELEBRATE MIGRANTS iamamigrant.org SHARE facebook.com/iamamigrant MIGRANT STORIES twitter.com/iamamigrant

The IOM Mauritania Newsletter is a quarterly publica- Chief of Mission Editorial Team tion by the IOM mission in Mauritania for the public and IOM Mauritania Momme DUCROS for updates on IOM’s projects in Mauritania. Anke STRAUSS Francois-Xavier ADA

For more information on IOM’s projects in Mauritania, please contact us at [email protected]

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Stay in touch with us! Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM)

On the internet: OIM Nouakchott www.iom.int/countries/mauritania Lot 551 E Nord Tevragh Zeina Nouakchott | Mauritania (IRM) On Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Tel: +222 45 24 40 81 iommauritania Fax: +222 45 24 40 81