Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean Piecing Together the Shifting Dynamics
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FEBRUARY 2020 Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean Piecing Together the Shifting Dynamics Arezo Malakooti Chiara Fall DISCLAIMER This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was prepared, researched and written by Arezo Malakooti. Assistance was provided by Chiara Fall. Fieldwork was conducted by Arezo Malakooti, Jerome Veyret, Chiara Fall and Jessica Gerken. The final report was peer reviewed by Tuesday Reitano and Mark Micallef (from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, GI-TOC) and Fransje Molenar (from Clingendael Institute). We are gratefully indebted to the various migrants and key informants who graciously shared their stories and experiences with us. The research for this report was supported by funding under the North of Africa window of the European Union (EU) Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. However, the contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the GI-TOC and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EU. The photograph on the front cover was taken by Jerome Veyret in Niger. Please do not hesitate to make contact with the author: [email protected] ABOUT THE PROJECT ‘Monitoring the Political Economy of Human Smuggling in Libya and the Greater Sahara’ is a project funded under the North Africa window of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Its goals are to create an expansive research facility that provides the EU and its partners with up-to-date monitoring and analysis of migration patterns and human smuggling dynamics in Libya and the Sahel (Niger, Chad and Mali). This takes the form of monthly briefs and regular in-depth, longform research studies such as this one. The project is implemented by a consortium that consists of the GI-TOC and the Clingendael Institute. Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean: Piecing Together the Shifting Dynamics | February 2020 iii ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AU African Union AVR assisted voluntary return AVRR Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (programme of the IOM) CFA West African francs CNDH Conseil National de Droits de l’Homme (Morocco) DRC Democratic Republic of Congo ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States FGM female genital mutilation FTDES Forum Tunisien pour les Droits Economiques et Sociaux GADEM Groupe Antiraciste de Défense et d’accompagnement des Etrangers et Migrants GI-TOC Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime GDF Gathering And Departure Facility GNA Government of National Accord ID identification IDPs Internally Displaced Persons IOM International Organization for Migration IOM DTM IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix LCG Libyan Coast Guard LNA Libyan National Army MENA Middle East and North Africa MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MoI Ministry of Interior MoU memorandum of understanding NGO non-governmental organization RSF Sudanese Rapid Support Forces UAM unaccompanied minor UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNSMIL United Nations Support Mission in Libya Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean: Piecing Together the Shifting Dynamics | February 2020 iv Contents A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 B. BACKGROUND AND METHODS ......................................................................................................................... 11 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 2. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 C. ACROSS THE CROSSING POINTS: THE MACRO PICTURE .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 1. THE ROUTES .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 2. DEMOGRAPHICS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 3. NORTH AFRICANS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 D. THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN ROUTE ............................................... 24 1. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FLOWS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 2. MOROCCO .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 E. BETWEEN THE ROUTES ................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 1. NIGER ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 2. ALGERIA ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 55 3. MALI ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 60 F. THE CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN ROUTE ..................................................... 62 1. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FLOWS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 2. TUNISIA .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 74 3. EGYPT .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 89 4. LIBYA ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 101 G. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................... 116 H. APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 121 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 122 2. LIST OF KEY INFORMANTS ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 129 3. NOTES AND REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................