Niger Junta Repeals Law Aimed At Curbing Migration to Europe

 

The country’s military government has overturned a 2015 anti-migration law that restricted travel from Niger to Europe. Niger, a hub for those attempting to enter Europe, reported on state television on Monday night that the anti-migration law had been abolished on Saturday.

By making this step, the military of Niger is endangering its delicate relations with the European Union (EU). According to a government statement, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of the junta, is credited with signing the order that repeals the anti-immigration law.

The trafficking of migrants via the West African country to the EU was made illegal by the anti-migration law enacted in 2015. The rule was implemented in response to a record high of migrants leaving Africa to cross the Mediterranean Sea in 2015. Pressure mounted on the EU to halt the influx.

It is believed that the junta is trying to win back favor in the community by scrapping the 2015 law. The law “did not take into account the interests of Niger and its citizens,” according to General Abdourahamane Tchiani.

Past convictions under the statute are also nullified by the decision abolishing the 2015 law. All those found guilty by the law will also be freed by the Ministry of Justice.

The EU-backed anti-migration bill targeted people smugglers who could have been sentenced to up to five years in jail if found guilty.

Because of the law, the number of migrants passing through Niger has also drastically declined over time. In an effort to address the underlying causes of migration, the EU has committed a trust fund worth $5.5 billion in Africa.