Niger – German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited IOM’s transit centre in Niamey, Niger yesterday (10/10) where she met and spoke to migrants to get a better understanding of the underlying causes of migration within West Africa.

Visiting the centre with Chancellor Merkel were the Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Yacouba, Nigerien Minister of Population Kaffa Rékiatou Christelle Jackou, and a delegation of German officials and journalists.

Migrants from Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria and Guinea, returning from Libya, Algeria and Sudan, told Ms Merkel about their journeys and struggles with migration.

Compared to 2015 when IOM Niger assisted 1,721 migrants with assisted voluntary return, between January and August 2016, IOM has already welcomed and assisted over 3,000 migrants in its four transit centres in Arlit, Dirkou, Agadez and Niamey.

IOM transit centres are open, meaning that accommodation is voluntary and migrants can leave at any time. In order to be accommodated at the centre, the migrants have to be willing to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.

“Without the IOM centres, migrants would not have any kind of support or alternatives to their journeys through the desert, to Libya and ultimately Europe,” said IOM Niger Chief of Mission Giuseppe Loprete.

Besides Niger, Chancellor Merkel’s three-nation visit includes Mali and Ethiopia. Her visit to Niger follows recent visits from the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier in April and the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Müller in July.

 “The European Union and its member states are already doing a lot to back the efforts of Niger and other key countries like Nigeria, Mali or others along the migratory route,” Loprete stated.

Germany is in the process of funding a 2 million euro project in Niger, focusing on assisted voluntary return with individualized programmes for vulnerable migrants, such as minors and victims of trafficking.

 “Smugglers are playing with your lives,” Ms Merkel told migrants, adding that they shouldn’t believe the smugglers’ false promises.

She concluded the discussion promising to continue Germany’s support for IOM.

Meanwhile also on Monday (10/10), IOM Director General William Lacy Swing met in Berlin with the Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks Peter Altmaier to discuss the situation in West Africa.

DG Swing was in Berlin to attend the 8th annual World Health Summit organized by the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, the President of the French Republic and the President of the European Commission.

For further information please contact Monica Chiriac at IOM Niger, Tel: +227 8931 8764, Email: mchiriac@iom.int