Monthly December 2024

This monthly press review covers Eurafrican migration control, migration and displacement in African countries and news on the European border regime. In case there is a news item, report, or campaign you would like to flag for in next month’s review please write us to: migr-contr@ffm-online.org or on Twitter @MigControl

Also see Migreurop Revue de presse - Novembre 2024

Good to Know:
11.12.24 NYT: Recent Immigration Surge Has Been Largest in U.S. History: Under President Biden, more than two million immigrants per year have entered, government data shows. The immigration surge of the past few years has been the largest in U.S. history, surpassing the great immigration boom of the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to a New York Times analysis of government data.
Annual net migration averaged 2.4 million people from 2021 to 2023, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Total net migration during the Biden administration is likely to exceed eight million people. That’s a faster pace of arrivals than during any other period on record, including the peak years of Ellis Island traffic, when millions of Europeans came to the United States. Even after taking into account today’s larger U.S. population, the recent surge is the most rapid since at least 1850.

28.11.24 AJE: Net migration to UK hit record 906,000 in 2023: Numbers fell 20 percent from the record high to 728,000 for the year to June 2024, the ONS said, driven by declining numbers of dependants coming with those on study visas after the rules were changed.
Voters in the UK – whose overall population is approximately 68 million – have expressed concern that the large number of arrivals could worsen housing shortages and put further strain on public services. But employers in sectors such as healthcare say they cannot function without foreign workers.

All Africa

27.12.24 Standard: Warum Autokraten in Afrika nach Assads Sturz zittern: Über Syrien hat der Kreml die Logistik seiner Söldner in Afrika abgewickelt. Dieses schmutzige Geschäft steht nun auf der Kippe

Also see taz 16.12.24: Kein Assad, kein Afrika? ; taz 15.12.24: Syrien ist verloren, was ist nun mit Afrikas Sahelzone?

19.12.24 taz: Deutsche Waffen in alle Welt: Deutschland hat 2024 für Millionen Euro Waffen in Länder exportiert, die wegen ihrer Kriegsführung kritisiert werden, sagt ein neuer Rüstungsexportbericht. Deutschland missachte die eigenen Grundsätze

04.12.24 taz: Profite mit der Schuldenkrise: Im internationalen Schuldenbericht 2024 räumt die Weltbank die gravierenden Probleme von Entwicklungsfinanzierung durch private Gläubiger ein: Ein Strom von privatem Kapital für Armutsbekämpfung und andere Entwicklungsziele „erwies sich als Fantasie“, heißt es gleich zu Beginn.
Seit 2022 haben ausländische private Gläubiger fast 141 Milliarden US-Dollar mehr an Schuldendienstzahlungen von öffentlichen Kreditnehmern in Entwicklungsländern eingefordert, als sie in neuen Investitionen zu Verfügung gestellt haben, heißt es im Bericht. Und: Seit 2022 haben sich private Investoren immer mehr aus Entwicklungsländern zurückgezogen.

North Africa:

Algeria

Arab Weekly 17.12.24: Algeria grows increasingly wary as Turkey expands influence in Africa: The situation has been increasingly worrying Algiers amid fears that Ankara’s support for the military regimes in Niger and Mali will be at Algeria’s expense.

04.12.24 Global Voices: Abandoned in the Sahara: Is Algeria turning the desert into a migrant graveyard?: Since January 2024, Algeria has expelled nearly 20,000 African migrants, including women and children, to neighboring Niger. These expulsions are frequently conducted under harsh conditions, with migrants being abandoned in the desert near the border, compelled to walk for miles to reach safety.

Egypt

21.12.24 AJE: US State Dept gives nod to $5bn in potential arms sales for Egypt: The State Department informed Congress on Friday that it had approved the sale of $4.69bn worth of equipment for 555 US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks operated by Egypt, along with $630m in Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and $30m in precision-guided munitions.

Tunisia

27.12.24 taz: Ab in die Wüste?: Zehntausenden Flüchtlingen in Tunesien, ohne Hilfe oder Schutz, droht Abschiebung nach Algerien

East Africa

Ethiopia / Somalia

28.12.24 Guardian: UN authorises new mission against al-Shabaab in Somalia: The UN security council adopted a resolution on Friday allowing the deployment of up to 12,626 personnel to support the Somali government’s nearly two decades-long fight against al-Shabaab. The existing peacekeeping force, known as the African Union transition mission in Somalia (Atmis), whose mandate ends at the end of this year, will be replaced by the leaner African Union support and stabilization mission in Somalia (Aussom).

19.12.24 AR: How did Erdoğan manage to bring Ethiopia and Somalia together?: Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed and Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on 11 December signed a memorandum of understanding in Ankara. According to one insider, Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “exerted his full influence” to steer both sides towards peace.
Erdoğan had never before negotiated an African settlement alone since the 2005 push into the continent – but on the back of this success, he pitched his services to the warring parties in Sudan.
Also see AR 13.12,.24: Somaliland’s new president sworn in amid uncertainty over Ethiopia port‑access deal; AR 12.12.24: Will Turkiye‑brokered deal between Ethiopia and Somalia lower tensions in the Horn?

04.12.24 NYT: Ethiopia’s Agony: ‘I Have Never Seen This Kind of Cruelty in My Life’: A rare look inside a region still reckoning with the toll of war crimes, even as new conflicts roil the nation.

Sudan

31.12.24 AJE: Fierce fighting in Khartoum endangers Sudanese civilians: The army’s bid to retake the capital from a paramilitary has led to fierce clashes and high civilian casualties.

30.12.24 SWM: Türkiye offers to mediate Sudan conflict: Türkiye’s offer differs from previous mediation initiatives in one key respect: it is an offer to mediate between the Sudanese military government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—not between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

27.12.24 NYT: Trucks Carrying Aid Finally Reach Sudan’s War-Torn Capital Region: After 20 months of war, and three months of negotiations with the warring sides, a bit of relief arrives for some of the hundreds of thousands of people facing famine.

23.12.24 SWM: Battle for RSF desert stronghold: The Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements (JSAMF), a coalition of former Darfuri rebel groups allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), launched an assault on the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) Al-Zurug military base in North Darfur on Saturday. The attack, characterized as a diversionary operation, coincides with an intensifying RSF campaign to capture the state capital, El Fasher.

Also seee AJE 04.12.24: Threat of RSF invasion looms over el-Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur

11.12.24 NYT: The Gold Rush at the Heart of a Civil War: The production and trade of gold, which lies in rich deposits across the vast nation, has actually surpassed prewar levels.
The United Arab Emirates is also lighting both ends of the fuse. On the battlefield, it backs the R.S.F., sending it powerful drones and missiles in a covert operation under the guise of a humanitarian mission.
Yet when it comes to gold, the Emiratis are also helping to fund the opposing side. An Emirati company, linked by officials to the royal family, owns the largest industrial mine in Sudan.

10.12.24 SWM: Sudanese Air Force kills nearly 200 civilians in attacks on markets: The latest attacks hit the rural towns of Kabkabiya, Al-Kuma, and Melit, the cities of Nyala and El Fasher, and the Khartoum suburb of Hai Mayo.
The attacks follow a year-long pattern of airstrikes against busy markets in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, which typically are carried out on a set market day, with the apparent deliberate intent of maximizing casualties.

09.12.24 TNH: How Sudan’s mutual aid groups are supporting out of school children: Community groups and mutual aid networks in war-hit parts of Sudan have set up learning centres and safe spaces for children amid almost two years of disrupted schooling and because of continued inadequate support from international humanitarian agencies.

03.12.24 SWM: Offensive closes in on Wad Madani: The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) launched attacks along several axes toward Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazira State, resulting in fighting in rural areas south and east of the the city, which is controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Morale is high among the advancing SAF troops, following a series of recent successes, including the recapture last week of Sinja, the Sennar State capital.

West Africa and Sahel

26.12.24 AJE: Record number of migrants died in attempt to reach Spain this year: More than 10,000 migrants died while trying to reach Spain by sea this year, a report released by a Spanish migration rights group has revealed, the most since it began keeping a tally in 2007.
On average, that means 30 migrants died every day this year attempting to reach the country by boat, the NGO Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) said on Thursday.

Also see AJE 02.01.25:Record number of migrants, refugees reached Canary Islands by sea in 2024: Spain received 63,970 migrants and refugess who arrived through irregular routes last year, including 46,843 people in the Canary Islands; 27.12.24: Nearly 70 killed after boat capsizes en route to Spain; Público 26.12.24: Casi 10.500 personas, 30 al día, murieron en su intento de migrar a España en 2024

12.12.24 Modern Diplomacy: Why Pastoralism Matters More Than Ever for the Sahel and West Africa’s Future: Pastoralism holds significant economic value for the Sahel. This lifestyle supplies 90 percent of the region’s red meat and 70 percent of its milk, directly benefiting more than 20 million people.

Benin

LM 11.12.24: Au Bénin, trois militaires tués dans le parc de la Pendjari à la frontière avec le Burkina Faso: Les autorités béninoises faisaient état en avril 2023 d’une vingtaine d’incursions transfrontalières depuis 2021. En janvier 2022, le Bénin a déployé près de 3 000 soldats pour sécuriser ses frontières dans le cadre de l’opération « Mirador ». Les autorités béninoises ont également recruté 5 000 soldats supplémentaires pour renforcer la sécurité dans le Nord.

Burkina Faso

Sahel Intelligence 16.12.24: Burkina Faso : Plus de 100 terroristes éliminés lors d’opérations dans la Boucle du Mouhoun: Plus d’une centaine de terroristes ont été « neutralisés » lors d’opérations antiterroristes menées les 10 et 11 décembre par les Forces de défense et de sécurité du Burkina Faso dans la région de la Boucle du Mouhoun, au nord-ouest du pays, rapporte l’Agence d’information du Burkina (AIB). Depuis le 1er décembre 2024, les forces armées burkinabè ont renforcé leurs opérations contre les groupes terroristes à l’échelle nationale, selon la même source.

Also see NYT 15.12.24: Security Strategy of Recruiting Cheap Militiamen Backfires in Africa

Chad

30.12.24 Euronews: Chad’s parliamentary elections marked by low turnout and opposition boycotts: Around 8 million voters were registered to elect 188 legislators for a new National Assembly, as well as representatives at provincial and municipal levels. However, voter turnout appeared minimal in the capital, N’Djamena, with scant participation recorded at several polling stations.

27.12.24 Africa News: French military base in Chad officially handed over to N'Djamena, after end of defence agreement: According to a local source, French troops left the base in Faya and headed to the capital, around 780km southwest. The troops will then travel back to France in the coming weeks. A French military official stated that the handover was in line with the schedule organised with N'Djamena. Officials in Chad added that they would keep the public up to date regarding other bases to be handed over.

11.12.24 The Conversation: Chad’s break with France: why it happened and what it means for power dynamics in the Sahel region: Chad is seeking new partners and is unlikely to replicate the old defence pact with France with another state. Chad has received military aid from the UAE, received weapons from Israel, acquired Turkish training aircraft and drones, and is now exploring ties with Russia and Hungary.

05.12.24 taz: Deutschlands Rolle in Tschad und Sudan: Tschad beherbergt über eine Million Geflüchtete aus Sudan. Zugleich heizt das Regime den Krieg dort mit an. Nun vertieft Deutschland die Partnerschaft.

ECOWAS

15.12.24 DW: African coup-hit states get more time to rethink ECOWAS exit: West Africa's regional bloc ECOWAS gave Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger six months to reconsider their departure from the group, leaders agreed on Sunday. The military juntas of the three Sahel nations announced in January that they would leave the 15-nation bloc, accusing it of "inhumane and irresponsible" sanctions and of being subservient to former colonial ruler France.

Also see Togo First 17.12.24: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Maintain Visa-Free Travel for ECOWAS Nationals: Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, the members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), will maintain the free movement of goods and people with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), despite their decision to leave the organization;

But also see La Nouvelle Tribune 10.12.24: Passeports de l’AES : le Mali appelle à la patience: Le Premier ministre malien, Abdoulaye Maïga, a récemment demandé à la population de faire preuve de patience concernant les nouveaux passeports biométriques de l‘Alliance des États du Sahel (AES). Ce projet ambitieux, qui vise à créer des passeports et des cartes d’identité harmonisées pour le Mali, le Burkina Faso et le Niger, prend du temps en raison de sa complication.

Mauritania

19.12.24 Sahara Media: Ministère de l’intérieur : les migrants ont constitué un important défi à la coexistence pacifique: La Mauritanie a accueilli des centaines de milliers de migrants, ce qui a constitué un « grand défi », a déclaré mercredi le directeur de la migration et des frontières au ministère mauritanien de l’Intérieur, Abdallah Mohamed Abdel Rahman.
S’exprimant lors d’un séminaire intitulé «Les voies de la migration légale et le vivre ensemble», organisé par l’Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM), il a déclaré que les migrants posaient un défi en termes de « coexistence pacifique, de fourniture d’eau, d’abris et de services de base tels que la santé et l’éducation ».

Mali

21.12.24 LM: Au Mali, au moins vingt morts dans des attaques imputées aux djihadistes dans le centre du pays: « Six villages de la région de Bandiagara ont été attaqués hier [vendredi] par les djihadistes. Des greniers ont été brûlés, des populations ont fui. Il y a aussi une vingtaine de morts », a déclaré à l’agence de presse un élu local sous couvert d’anonymat. « Cinq villages de la région de Bandiagara ont été attaqués vendredi. On dénombre 21 morts et de nombreux blessés », a de son côté déclaré à l’AFP une source sécuritaire malienne.

05.12.24 Defence Post: Mali Receives Turkish Akinci Drones to Fight Armed Groups: The Bayraktar Akinci is equipped with dual artificial intelligence avionics and real-time signal processing to enhance situational awareness in various combat scenarios.

Also see Liberation 02.12.24: Au Mali, plusieurs cadres de la rébellion indépendantiste de l’Azawad tués dans un bombardement: Des «frappes synchronisées de drone» ont été menées sur le lieu où ils étaient rassemblés, selon le FLA, qui estime que des appareils Bayraktar Akinci, de fabrication turque et livrés à l’armée malienne quelques jours plus tôt, ont été employés.

Niger

11.12.24 rfi: Niger: lourd bilan après une attaque jihadiste, la plus meurtrière dans le pays depuis six mois: Mardi, au Niger, dans le département de Téra, près d'une centaine de soldats sont morts dans un combat contre des jihadistes. Dans la fusillade, une cinquantaine de civils ont également été tués.

Also see rfi 08.12.24: Niger: 21 morts dans l'attaque d'un véhicule de transport de passagers dans l'ouest du pays

10.12.24 JA: Au Niger, trois ONG demandent la libération « immédiate » de Moussa Tchangari: Le secrétaire général de l’association nigérienne Alternative espaces citoyens (AEC), arrêté le 3 décembre à son domicile, est notamment « accusé d’apologie du terrorisme, [et d’] atteinte à la sûreté de l’État ». Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW) et la Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH) ont demandé ce 9 décembre à la junte au pouvoir au Niger la libération immédiate de Moussa Tchangari, « éminent militant de la société civile », arrêté la semaine dernière.

Also see migreurop 11.12.24: For the immediate release of Moussa Tiangari, Secretary General of Alternative Espaces Citoyens Niger.

Sub Saharan Africa

Kenya

30.12.24 AJE: Kenya police fire tear gas at protest against alleged government abductions: Dozens of Kenyans have been abducted in recent months, according to rights groups, who blame police and intelligence services.

Mozambique

31.12.24 AR: Mozambique post‑vote violence sparks exodus, economic chaos: Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo party may have hoped that the High Court confirmation of their highly disputed election victory on 23 December would settle the matter. Instead, the court’s ruling ignited fresh violence, prompting thousands of Mozambicans to flee into neighbouring Malawi and eSwatini, while also disrupting trade routes through South Africa.

27.12.24 NYT: Why Is Mozambique in Chaos?: More than 250 people have died in this southern African nation as protesters disputing the results of the presidential election clash with the police and military.

West Asia

Israel / Gaza

26.12.24 NYT: Eight Takeaways: How Israel Weakened Civilian Protections When Bombing Hamas Fighters: A New York Times investigation found that Israel severely undermined its system of safeguards when striking Gaza, and used flawed methods to find targets and assess the risk to civilians.

Also see +972, 03.04.24: ‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza; TNH 03.12.24: Targeted aid killings: How Israel starved a population and sowed chaos in northern Gaza; NYT 01.12.24: Former Defense Minister Accuses Israel of Committing War Crimes in Gaza

19.12.24 +972: ‘My hands are paralyzed from torture’: Gazans reveal horrors of Ofer Camp: Inmates at Israel's shadowy new facility face non-stop abuse — from deadly beatings and electric shocks, to constant handcuffing and skin diseases.

04.12.24 +972: The West Bank villages wiped off the map by Israeli settler violence: According to new data gathered by the left-wing Israeli NGO Kerem Navot, which monitors Israel’s dispossession of Palestinian land in the West Bank, at least 57 Palestinian communities have been forced to flee their homes since October 7 as a result of Israeli settler attacks.

02.12.,24 NYT: Israel Builds Bases in Central Gaza, a Sign It May Be There to Stay: In recent months, soldiers have demolished more than 600 buildings to create a buffer area and expanded a network of bases, a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery and video footage shows.

Syria

24.12.24 taz: Traum und Trauma in Syrien: Was wird aus den Kurden nach dem Sturz Assads? Die Machthaber in Damaskus sind gegen ihre Autonomiepläne, PKK-Führer Öcalan könnte helfen

Also see Modern Diplomacy 27.12.24: Don’t Believe the Media or the Jihadists: Syria’s Transition Could Get Ugly

15.12.24 AJE: Syrians return to the homes they fled, only to find them levelled: Qaboun neighbourhood in Damascus was almost completely destroyed by al-Assad forces in revenge for perceived opposition.

10.12.24 AJE: Where do six million Syrian refugees live today?: As of 2024, the United Nations reports, at least 7.4 million Syrians remain internally displaced, with approximately 4.9 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. An additional 1.3 million have resettled elsewhere, mostly in Europe. The neighbouring countries with the most registered Syrian refugees include Turkiye, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

Europe

22.12.24 UNHCR Data: Total arrivals in 2024: 192,339
Last updated 22 Dec 2024

31.12.24 DSp: 20 Vermisste nach Schiffsunglück vor Lampedusa: Das Boot war nach ersten Angaben in Libyen gestartet, um Menschen übers Mittelmeer nach Europa zu bringen. Bei den sieben Überlebenden handelt es sich um Personen aus Ägypten, Syrien und dem Sudan.

Germany

04.12.24 Tsp: „Bundesregierung hat keine echten Maßnahmen ergriffen“: Wüstenaussetzungen in Tunesien? Sicherheitskräfte in Nordafrika verüben Menschenrechtsverletzungen an Migranten. Auch von Deutschland gespendete Ausrüstung soll dabei genutzt werden. Doch die Bundesregierung gibt sich unwissend.

Greece

10.12.24 taz: Das tödliche Geschäft des Abu Sultan: Hunderte Menschen starben 2023 beim Schiffbruch von Pylos und Griechenland steckte neun Überlebende in den Knast. taz-Recherchen zeigen: Die Justiz wusste, dass sie unschuldig waren.

Also see Free Pylos 9, 13.12.24: Joint Statement for the State Crime of Pylos

Italy

24.12.24 Guardian: ‘It cost €1bn and it’s a dog shelter’: red faces as Italy’s Albania migrant centres lie empty: With Giorgia Meloni’s plan in tatters, one centre is housing stray dogs adopted by bored Italian guards

13.12.24 Tsp: "Ärzte ohne Grenzen" zieht Rettungsschiff ab: Die Hilfsorganisation "Ärzte ohne Grenzen" stellt den Betrieb ihres Rettungsschiffes "Geo Barents" im Mittelmeer ein. Die massiven Beschränkungen der Arbeit durch die italienischen Behörden machten einen Weiterbetrieb derzeit untragbar, erklärte die Organisation.

Spain

06.12.24 Tagesschau: Offenes und wohlhabendes Land - das ist das Ziel: Ab dem kommenden Mai sollen in Spanien etwa 300.000 Einwanderinnen und Einwanderer ohne Papiere eine Aufenthalts- und Arbeitserlaubnis erhalten. Und das jedes Jahr - zunächst bis 2027. Das Hauptziel besteht also darin, Menschen aus Drittländern den Zugang zum Arbeitsmarkt zu erleichtern.

UK

17.12.24 taz: Effizienz mit Todesfolge: Nie war es für Boots­­­­­migran­t*in­nen lebensgefährlicher als 2024, den Ärmelkanal zu überqueren. Ein Grund ist die massive Hochrüstung der Küsten.

Also see Guardian 05.12.24: French authorities rescue 85 migrants trying to cross Channel: More than 70 migrants have died trying to cross the Channel to Britain this year, according to the Pas-de-Calais authorities. Tens of thousands more have reached Britain, whose government has vowed to crack down on people-smuggling gangs; Tagesschau 04.12.24: Großrazzia gegen Netzwerk von Schleusern: Ein irakisch-kurdisches Netzwerk soll Flüchtlinge in minderwertigen Schlauchbooten über den Ärmelkanal geschleust haben. Jetzt geht die Polizei mit einer großangelegten Razzia gegen die Schleuser vor.

European Union

18.12.24 taz: EU stützt Pushbacks : Die neue EU-Kommission stellt sich hinter die Zurückweisung von Flüchtlingen an Polens Ostgrenze. „Schwerwiegende Eingriffe in die Grundrechte“ seien demnach gestattet

06.12.24 Infomigrants: La Serbie va recevoir 14 millions d'euros de l'UE pour renforcer ses frontières: "Il s’agira d’équipements spéciaux destinés aux couloirs verts et bleus, c’est-à-dire les frontières et les rivières", a précisé Emanuele Giaufret, le chef de la Délégation de l’Union européenne à Belgrade, rapporte l'AFP.
Entre 2021 et 2024, l'UE a augmenté de 60 % ses financements en faveur des pays des Balkans occidentaux, pour atteindre plus de 350 millions d'euros. Des aides destinées à la fois à la gestion des frontières mais aussi aux systèmes d'asile et d'accueil.

Reports and Long Reads

Decembre 2024 Migreurop: Nous profitons de cette journée internationale des migrant·e·s pour vous annoncer la publication de la Note Migreurop #16 : "Externalisation de l’asile : une coopération au mépris de la protection internationale et de l’état de droit"

01.12.24 Alarmphone: Seal the borders at any cost?: Alarm Phone: Western Mediterranean and Atlantic Regional Analysis, 1 April - 31 August 2024: The new Pact on Migration and Asylum (PMA) and its impacts on countries of the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic route

January 2025 Grasswurzelrevolution 495: Unterdrückung von Menschen auf der Flucht:
Bericht über die Räumung eines Camps in Ventimiglia, Italien, im Oktober: Ein Video der Räumung wurde von der lokalen Zeitung im Namen des Bürgermeisters von Ventimiglia stolz verbreitet (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YStV_zP5bQU). Dieser rechtspopulistische Vorgang wurde auf den Schultern von Menschen ausgetragen, die bereits unter der nationalen und europäischen Grenzpolitik leiden. Der Ablauf der Räumung wird aus der Perspektive von NoNameKitchen-Aktivist:innen beschrieben.

Campaigns and Events

Das Alarm Phone ist 10 Jahre alt geworden und das nehmen wir zum Anlass für ein Veranstaltungswochenende im Aquarium am Kotti in Berlin am 10. und 11. Januar: Das Programm findet ihr hier: https://shorturl.at/EmYJe

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