MARCH 2020 Mobility and conflict in Liptako-Gourma Clingendael Conflict Research Unit Rida Lyammouri 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. Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 THE IMPACT OF CONFLICT ON MOBILITY PATTERNS ......................................................... 2 VULNERABILITY OF MIGRANTS TO ABUSE FROM STATE AND NON-STATE (ARMED) ACTORS ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ACCESSING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN LIPTAKO-GOURMA ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................................ 7 ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 TABLES ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 MAPS ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 BOXES ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 12 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 METHODOLOGY AND KEY CONCEPTS .......................................................................................................................................... 15 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 2. THE IMPACT OF CONFLICT ON MOBILITY ............................................ 18 MOBILITY IN LIPTAKO-GOURMA – AN OVERVIEW ......................................................................... 18 EFFECT OF CONFLICT ON MIGRATION ROUTES ....................................................................................... 26 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 3. VULNERABILITY OF MIGRANTS TO ABUSE FROM STATE AND NON-STATE (ARMED) ACTORS .............. 35 PROTECTION INCIDENTS AND PERPETRATORS – AN OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 35 HUMAN SMUGGLING .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 INVOLVEMENT OF NON-STATE ARMED ACTORS ................................................................................... 39 INVOLVEMENT OF SECURITY FORCES .......................................................................................................................................... 40 XENOPHOBIA .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 4. ACCESSING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN LIPTAKO-GOURMA ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 46 ACCESS TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN LIPTAKO-GOURMA – AN OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................... 46 MAIN OBSTACLES TO ACCESS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................... 54 RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALLEVIATE IMPACT OF CONFLICT ON MOBILITY .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 54 RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS MIGRANTS’ VULNERABILITY TO ABUSE .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 57 NOTES ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 63 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report could not have been put together without the help of a number of people who graciously shared their time, expertise and networks. This project was commissioned and financed by the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF), and it was developed in collaboration with the Global Initiative (GI) Against Transnational Organized Crime. Views expressed and information contained in this document are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Thanks to the stakeholders at the European Commission for their facilitation, advice and support. I wish to thank all the people whose assistance was a milestone in the completion of this project. I could not have written