Main area: Migration
Theme: Activities involving return and reintegration programmes
Assessment: ODA-eligible
Provider country: Italy
Recipient country: Niger
Implementing agency: IOM
Budget (EUR million): 6.5
Year(s): 2022
Purpose code: 15190
Case number: Migration / 12
Assistance to migrants in Niger (AVENIR II)
Due to its geographical position and the free movement within ECOWAS, Niger is an important country of transit, destination, and origin for migrants from West and Central Africa. From 2017 to March 2022, a total of 50 800 migrants were expulsed from Algeria to Niger, of which more than 80% were without travel documents. In 2021, an average of 900 migrants were expulsed per month. Although these migrants are non-Nigerien, the Government of Algeria expels them to “Point Zero”, 12 kilometres from the nearest village on the Nigerien side of the border, Assamaka. IOM provides humanitarian assistance at the border and offers migrants the possibility to partake in IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme, through which they can safely return to their country of origin. The large majority of the 50 800 migrants assisted by IOM subsequently entered into the AVR programme. Among these migrants are very vulnerable profiles, including victims of trafficking (VoTs), unaccompanied and separated migrant children (UAMCs), migrants with disabilities, sick or traumatized migrants. In response, IOM proposed the AVENIR phase II project with the objective of reinforcing return and protection assistance for vulnerable migrants in Niger.
Stranded migrants voluntarily return safely and in dignity to their countries of origin: migrants receive the necessary support and assistance.
Governance and ownership of State institutions on migration management and protection assistance are strengthened through support to Judges of minors (enhance quality of assistance for UAMCs), National Agency of Countertrafficking and Anti-Smuggling (shelter for VoTs in Zinder), National Programme of Mental Health, National Employment Agency & Ministry of Employment (digitalisation of the issuance of work permits) and promotion of safe regular migration (bilateral labour agreements).
Migrants in vulnerable situations, including VoTs, UAMCs and people with mental health and psychosocial support needs have access to inclusive protection assistance to enhance their wellbeing, safety, dignity and rehabilitation.
AVR programmes support migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host or transit countries and wish to return to their countries of origin, with an objective that return & readmission occur in a safe and dignified manner. Migrants are able to make an informed decision and freely change their mind at a later stage. They are provided with all viable and legal options available to them, including return opportunities.
During the first six months of AVENIR I only, IOM provided assistance to 464 migrants in their voluntary return to their country of origin, including 268 women. AVENIR II expected outcome is to maintain this trend and reinforce it, by effectively managing the established mechanisms.
This activity is deemed ODA-eligible. Assistance for forced returns is excluded from ODA. In this case, the migrants were originally forced to leave Algeria (“expulsed”), but the IOM AVR programmes are offered to them on a voluntary basis once they have reached Niger. The project builds on a comprehensive, human rights based, sustainable development-oriented and coherent approach to well-managed return, taking into account the health and well-being of individuals and communities and ensuring that migrants’ protection needs are identified and addressed.
Assistance to migrants for their safe, dignified, informed and voluntary return from a developing country (Niger) to their country of origin is eligible (Criterion 5). The project can therefore be considered as eligible, as long as IOM confirms that the returns can indeed be qualified as voluntary and are conducted in compliance with Principle 4. The project also consists of institutional capacity building aimed at protecting migrants against abuses, which is eligible as per Criterion 4.
This work was approved and declassified by the Development Assistance Committee’s Working Party on Development Finance Statistics.
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