The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Niger is currently assisting 2,371 stranded migrants across the country听in the midst of听the COVID-19 pandemic and is concerned about the significant number of migrants still arriving in Niger despite a nationwide lockdown.听听
As of 31 March, 34 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Niger and three have sadly passed on. In order to contain the spread of the virus, the Government of Niger has imposed several restrictions, including border closures, curfews and travel bans within the country, and a mandatory two-week quarantine for people arriving in the country.听听
The stranded migrants are hosted in IOM鈥檚 six transit听centres, three temporary transit sites used to quarantine recent arrivals at the border with Algeria and two transit houses in Niamey recently opened to cope with the sudden increase of stranded migrants as a result of border closures.
As these places continue to operate at their full capacity, IOM Niger is concerned about a possible outbreak of the virus in one of its听centres听and is doing everything possible to ensure migrants stay safe and healthy, including through the installation of hand-washing stations, awareness raising and regular checks for COVID-19 symptoms.听听
As the migrants wait to return to their countries of origin through IOM鈥檚 Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration听programme听(AVRR), tensions at the transit听centres听are running high.
鈥淲e know there is a crisis out there, but it pains me to know we were supposed to leave last week; we even had our tickets,鈥� said Mohamed, 24, a migrant from Chad. 鈥淚 really hope the situation changes soon. I want to go home.鈥�
In collaboration with M茅decins Sans听Fronti猫res听(MSF) and local authorities, IOM is currently assisting 764 migrants in Assamaka, at Niger鈥檚 border with Algeria as they finalize their 14-day quarantine period. The migrants come from 15 different countries of origin, most notably Niger (391), Mali (140) and Guinea Conakry (101). Among them are many vulnerable persons, including children, pregnant women and injured individuals.听听
IOM and the Regional Public Health Directorate (DRSP) in Agadez organized a joint mission last week to Assamaka to assess the situation and the health needs of this vulnerable group.听听听
鈥淭he fight against COVID-19 requires a joint approach,鈥� said Chegou Yami, DRSP Director for the Agadez region.听 鈥淲e can only succeed in this fight if we join forces, maximize our resources and act now.鈥澨�
At the site, IOM provides shelter, food, water, core relief items, psychosocial and medical assistance and has reinforced its capacities to ensure it can cater to this large group. However, migrants continue to arrive in Assamaka, making it increasingly complicated to place them in quarantine, especially as new arrivals need to be separated from pre-existing groups.听听听
Further inland in听Arlit, a main crossing point between Assamaka and Agadez for migrants, traders, truck drivers and smugglers, there is an urgent need to ramp up the capacity to host new arrivals in quarantine sites. In collaboration with local and regional authorities, IOM has identified a quarantine site in听Arlit听where recent border crossers can be hosted and receive assistance.听听
Additionally, the Nigerien army notified IOM last week that 256 people have been found at the border with Libya after having been abandoned by smugglers. Among this group, were migrants from nine nationalities, with the majority from Nigeria (104), Ghana (53) and Burkina Faso (34).听听
The Ministry of Interior鈥檚 Directorate of Civil Protection, regional and local authorities and IOM鈥檚 team in听Dirkou听worked together to quickly identify a solution and are now moving this group from听Madama听to a site in the outskirts of Agadez where IOM provides humanitarian assistance as they undergo their quarantine period.听听
鈥淲hile the borders are officially closed, we still see migrants arriving in Niger from听neighbouring听countries that need to complete 14 days of mandatory quarantine,鈥� said Barbara听Rijks, IOM鈥檚 Chief of Mission in Niger.听听 鈥淭his, together with the many other migrants stuck in IOM鈥檚 transit听centres听in Niger, is putting an enormous strain on the limited resources and capacities of the Government of Niger and IOM.鈥澨�
Since borders have officially closed and internal movements curtailed, IOM is worried about the devastating impact this situation will have on the livelihoods and coping mechanisms of host communities in Niger.听听
鈥淯nless we can all come together to support the Government of Niger, this crisis could have devastating consequences on the local population and migrant communities,鈥澨齊ijks听added.听听
Amid this humanitarian emergency, IOM continues to work closely with the Government of Niger and diplomatic missions of countries of origin, to explore the possibility of creating a humanitarian corridor for the voluntary return of migrants who show no signs of COVID-19 and who have already undergone the mandatory two-week quarantine.听听听
UN agencies in West and Central Africa are currently assessing the need for a humanitarian corridor and are asking governments to facilitate the movements of UN personnel and transportation of goods to provide humanitarian aid across the region.听听
Migrants are assisted at the transit听centres听in Niger in the framework of听听supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the听听supported by the European Union.听
