Stopping human smugglers and traffickers in their tracks

type:
News

, Topic:
Migration

, Date:
16 March 2018

High-ranking officials meet to discuss migration from West Africa

Source:
saiyood / Getty Images

High-ranking representatives of the EU, UN and other organizations as well as of countries of origin, transit and destination for migration from West Africa met today in Niamey, the capital of Niger. Delegations from France, Germany, Italy and Spain met with counterparts from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Chad and Niger to focus on fighting human smuggling and human trafficking.

Parliamentary State Secretary Stephan Mayer speaking to the Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido (Larger version opens in new window)



Source: Federal Ministry of the Interior


Parliamentary State Secretary Stephan Mayer with the Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido

Parliamentary State Secretary Stephan Mayer is representing the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community at the meeting. “The Federal Government is working hard to stop criminal gangs of human smugglers and human traffickers. Illegal migration from Africa in particular must be contained to protect migrants from danger and prevent them from applying for asylum in Germany with little chance of success. So I find it very important to take part in this multi-national conference in Niamey on combating illegal migration,” Mr Mayer said.

Germany has significantly expanded its cooperation with Niger and other partners in the region in recent years. This is necessary, because the only way to have an impact on illegal migration is through shared efforts and intensive cooperation to increase border protection and the fight against human smugglers. This will also help improve security in the region.

“Only in cooperation with the countries of transit and origin in Africa will we be able to achieve significant progress in the fight against smuggling rings. We hope to deepen our close and trusting cooperation with Niger in particular and expand it at a multi-national level.”