The Economic Community of West African States and the International Organisation for Migration in February facilitated the safe return of 299 ECOWAS citizens stranded in Niger.
This was made known in a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday.
According to the statement, most of the 299 migrants, assisted in a safe and voluntary return, were men and adults; with a total of 278 men and eight women; 286 adults and 13 minors; 150 Nigerians, and 149 Guineans.
IOM transit centres in the Agadez region of Niger are overcrowded due to the socio-political and security situation in the sub-region, with some migrants spending relatively long waiting periods, which entails an increasing need for direct assistance. The main nationalities remain Guinea and Nigeria.
The support by ECOWAS has served as an immediate solution for the safe and dignified return of its nationals, decongesting the centres and providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in need while more mid-term and long-term solutions are explored.
The IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Laurent de Boeck, said the assistance provided by ECOWAS was an approach to migration.
Boeck noted that, “The fact that ECOWAS is committed to providing assistance to its citizens in need is a concrete example of the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration, aiming to protect the rights of migrants.”
Prior to departure, IOM provided them with pre-departure counselling services, protection screening, transportation assistance, and targeted assistance to migrants with specific situations of vulnerability, such as pregnant women, unaccompanied migrant children, victims of trafficking, and migrants with medical conditions.
The Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Sintiki Ugbe, said “The safe return of ECOWAS citizens to their homes with the support of the ECOWAS Commission aligns to goals of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and the commitment to make migration work for all.”
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