IMMIGRATION
IMMIGRATION – Irregular migration up 300%

Despite Giorgia Meloni’s electoral promises, the Central Mediterranean saw a considerable increase in irregular migration in 2023, with the highest figures since statistics began in 2009. This is the observation made by the director of the Frontex agency, the European border and coast guard agency, this Saturday, May 13, 2023.
According to Hans Leijtens, the new head of the European agency Frontex, smugglers of the Libyan and Tunisian coasts have a new business model much more aggressive. The director of the Frontex agency highlights a general decrease in the prices charged to migrants to cross the Mediterranean. This decrease is linked to competition between smuggling networks.
In at least one case reported by Frontex, a boat with migrants on board was sunk by a competing smuggling network, according to our Brussels correspondent, Pierre Benazet. The first quarter of 2023 is the deadliest since 2017 with 441 deaths, according to UN figures.
The Central Mediterranean represents 40,000 irregular entries since the beginning of 2023, with more than half of the total for the European Union. This increase is particularly noticeable from the Tunisian coast: 1 100% more than last year at the same time. Part of the reason for this is that the drop in fares is driving the number of departures.
Italy fears a record year
Since the beginning of the year, the Italian Government has registered four times more people than last year at the same time. With the summer, the Meloni government fears a situation comparable to what we experienced in 2016, the year of all records. The countries from which the most numerous people arrive are Ivory Coast, Ghana and Egypt, according to the nationalities declared. There are also more and more Tunisians and Pakistanis. And Italy fears the future effects of the war in Sudan, explains our correspondent in Rome, Anne Treca.
According to Hans Leijtens, smugglers are now building a new type of boat: metal skiffs built in less than a day on the beaches for less than 1,000 euros per unit. In Sfax, in eastern Tunisia, there was an increase in these boats at sea during patrols with the National Maritime Guard in March 2023. This Friday, May 12, the authorities announced that they had seized metal boats in an olive grove, hidden, waiting for a crossing, reports our correspondent in Tunis, Lilia Blaise.
Very dangerous boats
These makeshift boats are faster than the wooden boats of fishermen, but very fragile, because poorly welded and unreliable in case of bad weather. They easily take on water and are the cause of the many shipwrecks of recent months. As evidenced by the influx of bodies at the morgue of Sfax, at the end of April, it hosted nearly 200 corpses for a capacity of 45 places.
Burial is also a problem because of the lack of space in cemeteries. Faced with this tragic record, the Coast Guard continued to intercept ships and carry out rescues, but they could not detain the survivors, who, once back in port, would try the crossing again. Since the beginning of 2023, 14,000 interceptions have taken place, five times more than in 2022.
IMMIGRATION
SENEGAL – 97 migrants intercepted in Saint-Louis by the French Navy

The National Navy has boarded Thursday, August 24, 2024 a dugout canoe of clandestines off the coast of Saint-Louisiennes. The canoe had 97 migrants on board, including 83 Senegalese (three women and two minors). The other 14 are foreigners (12 Gambians and 02 Malians), reports the newspaper Les Échos.
According to the information of the newspaper, they were sent by the navy Thursday, aboard the patrol at sea «le Fouladou» to the Arsenal of the National Navy at the Autonomous Port of Dakar. Upon landing, they were received by the commander of the naval base of the French Navy.
It should be noted that «as soon as the navy announced the interception of this canoe, the prosecutor of the Republic opened an investigation to know the ins and outs. The investigation is entrusted to the National Directorate for Combating Smuggling of Migrants (DNLT) of the Directorate of Air and Border Police,” the newspaper added
“When asked at the outset where they were embarking, they replied that the canoe left on 21 August in Kayar. They were intercepted 250 km off the coast of Saint-Louis by the French Navy on the night of August 21 to 22,” our colleagues explain
IMMIGRATION
ILLEGAL EMIGRATION – 66 Senegalese migrants arrive in Tenerife

Sixty-six (66) people arrived during the day of Thursday, August 03, 2023 in Tenerife aboard two canoes. In one of them there were 14 people and in the other 52.
Several of the migrants were transferred to health centres with various health situations, a journalist told the news. The majority of its young people are Senegalese.
As a reminder, in Africa, migrant smuggling brings 59 billion CFA francs to smugglers per year. Illicit financial flows (FFI) from the smuggling of migrants from West Africa to Europe are estimated at more than $100 million per year, 59,250,000,000 CFA francs, according to a report published by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on Friday, July 28, 2023.
“Moderate estimates of human smuggling from West Africa to Europe alone exceed $100 million,” the study, “Illicit financial flows from migrant smuggling: Trends and responses in West Africa,” said.
“In 2020, migration data showed an increase in migrant crossings from Senegal to the Canary Islands by about 1,000% compared to the 2011-2019 period,” the report notes.
With regard to Senegal, the seaway is the most popular with smugglers, the authors of the report stress. “Smugglers are using the maritime routes from Senegal to the Spanish Canary Islands as a gateway to Europe because of increasing restrictions on the Mediterranean route,” says the document.
According to the authors of this report, coastal towns like Saint Louis and Mbour are the main departure points for the Canary Islands ‘of irregular migrants [who] also leave certain fishing villages, such as Joal, Thiaroye and Soumbedioune.”
They also note the presence of candid
IMMIGRATION
AFRICA – Migrant smuggling brings 59 billion CFA francs to smugglers per year

Illicit financial flows (FFI) from migrant smuggling from West Africa to Europe are estimated at more than $100 million per year, or 59,250,000,000 CFA francs, according to a report published by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), this Friday, July 28, 2023.
“Moderate estimates of human smuggling from West Africa to Europe alone exceed $100 million,” the study, “Illicit financial flows from migrant smuggling: Trends and responses in West Africa,” said.
“In 2020, migration data showed an increase in migrant crossings from Senegal to the Canary Islands by about 1,000% compared to the 2011-2019 period,” the report notes.
With regard to Senegal, the seaway is the most popular with smugglers, the authors of the report stress. “Smugglers are using the maritime routes from Senegal to the Spanish Canary Islands as a gateway to Europe because of increasing restrictions on the Mediterranean route,” says the document.
According to the authors of this report, coastal towns like Saint Louis and Mbour are the main departure points for the Canary Islands ‘of irregular migrants [who] also leave certain fishing villages, such as Joal, Thiaroye and Soumbedioune.”
They also note the presence of candidates for irregular migration from other West African countries, to whom smugglers “generally require full payment in advance (…) between $400 and $600.”
However, the report says, “in 2023, the use of maritime routes appears to have decreased, suggesting that COVID-19 restrictions on land borders played a role in the increased use of maritime routes between 2020 and 2022.”
On a global scale, migrant smuggling brings smugglers more than 10 billion dollars per year, or 5 925 000 000 000 CFA francs, according to estimates by the rappor
-
EAST AFRICA2 years .
TANZANIA – President meets with Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Merck Foundation
-
A LA UNE6 years .
ITALY : Maurizio de Marchi the owner of “Mariella Martinato” talks about his company.
-
AMERICA2 years .
CANARY ISLANDS – 83 people aboard rescue canoe and 2 lifeless bodies discovered
-
CHAUD TOO CHAUD4 years .
POLITICS – [INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE] – MADAGASCAR – Fanirisoa Ernaivo, a politician and activist committed to the rule of law and respect for democracy
-
ZETVPLAY5 years .
WHAT IS AFRICA FOR YOU: Diaka Camara, CEO CBCworldwide talks about Africa
-
ART2 years .
SENEGAL – The Dakar Carnival is about to become a real institution by Fatou Kassé-Sarr
-
FOR YOU WHAT IS AFRICA4 years .
WHAT AFRICA MEANS TO YOU: Sandra BELLO CEO Bello Corporation talks about Africa
-
FOOTBALL1 year .
CAN 2024 – Cameroon and Namibia complete 24-qualifier list