Speaking during a recent visit to Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had discussed a “common roadmap” on migration management with the country’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, which should be finalized this spring. Von der Leyen’s pledge follows a similar deal struck with Tunisia in July 2023, which saw the EU committing €105 million to tackle smuggling, step up border management and speed up the return of asylum seekers whose applications are denied. Eight years earlier, the migration crisis prompted the EU to act as it sought to curb illegal immigration from the African continent. In exchange for financing of up to €1 billion, Niger’s government signed the 2015 law in an attempt to put a stop to the flow of migrants traveling through the West African country without documents. Nigerian military junta’s decision last November to revoke this law was slammed by Brussels, saying that it could lead to an increase in the number of people trying to reach Europe illegally.
