IOM West and Central Africa - Latest Updates / Read Previous Editions Here
May 12, 2020
In today's Digest, IOM’s Data and Research Unit for West and Central Africa presents its latest report on IOM’s assisted voluntary return programme's activities between 2017 and 2019 and analyses the information collected from all returnees. In Guinea, we meet Abdourahmane who returned recently but whose flourishing business is threatened by the COVID-19. In Mali, Ehoumou, as hundred other migrants in transit in the country, stays patient while their return is postponed due to the pandemic. Also meet Aïcha, one of the 1,400 stranded migrants assisted with voluntary return from Burkina Faso to Niger last week. InfoMigrants reports on IOM's recent appeal for additional funding to meet the needs of thousands of migrants stranded in Niger and it stresses that African migrants remain undeterred in their endeavor to reach Europe despite the pandemic. Finally, this week we focus on Côte d'Ivoire. IOM's Goodwill Ambassador Alsafo from Magic System, takes part in an awareness-raising campaign to fight the COVID-19. Also, IOM supports migrants stranded at the border with Ghana and equips and trains officials to strengthen disease surveillance at borders.
Assisted Voluntary and Humanitarian Return Programme 2017-2019 More than 94,600 migrants from West and Central African countries were assisted to voluntarily return between 2017-2019, a majority of whom thanks to the EU-IOM Joint Initiative. Guinea, Nigeria and Mali recorded 54% of these returns. Have a look at the profile of those assisted
