Migration Management in West Africa: The Role of the EU and Internal Risks for Countries in the Region - the Case of Niger

Irregular mass migrations are widely recognised as posing threats to both the personal security of participants and the national security of transit/destination countries. This article examines the threats to the stability and integrity of sending countries as a result of attempts to “regulate” migration from “outside,” when such interference is guided mainly by the interests of the third party. The present study examines the European Union’s (EU) involvement in the ‘normalisation’ of the Sub-Saharan Africa migration situation and argues that these activities have contributed to the crisis within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The deterioration of the political and economic situation in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, exacerbated by ECOWAS sanctions, has led to significant changes in inter-state relations and migration flows, creating new challenges to regional stability. Using a situational analysis, the authors concentrate on migration processes in Niger, where instability exacerbates existing problems. Nevertheless, both the EU and ECOWAS have imposed sanctions on Niger, including halting development assistance programs and suspending security cooperation. This paper argues that this has worsened the situation in a country already on the brink of economic disaster. Some European countries, such as Denmark and Italy, which remains the main arrival country for irregular migrants along the Mediterranean route, have suggested that cooperation with Niger should continue, as failure to do so could further complicate the migration situation in European countries. The paper concludes by charting several possible solutions to facilitate and manage regional mobility at this stage. It also argues that African countries need to build migration management regimes tailored to their own national interests. The European Union, for its part, needs to reconsider its position on prioritizing its own agenda in the region and recognize African countries as equal partners in the migration system.