Breakdown of the IOM Report Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean; Connecting the Dots (June 2015)

Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean; Connecting the Dots (June 2015)

By: Altai Consulting

Written: Arezo Melakouti

Supervised: Eric Davin

Study Conducted Between November 2014 and 2015

Note: When a mention Migrants just as in the report I'm referencing mix migratory flows 

It took me a while but finally  bring you guys the breakdown of the IOM report that came out last year, that describes the migratory situation of North Africa, and why people are taking the risk in crossing  Mediterranean and here is the original Report at this link..   

Key Points  and highlights by country:

Spain (Destination/Transit Country {note these country  classifications that I established are not defined in this report, but I'm using them for a report that I'm writing}): The Report starts off explaining that  90% ( 10p. Altai) of all irregular migrants entered legally and became irregular when their permanence expire, for example expiration of  visas, and became irregular and only 10% (10p. Altai) entered through illegal boat crossings. Most of the flow the head to Spain originates from Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and Nigeria. And the report make the observation that there has been a steady transition from migrants to Asylum Seekers.  

The two largest groups of irregular migrants in Spain were Syrians with 66.684 (26p. Altai) people and Eritreans 34.341 (26p. Altai) individuals ( note that both nationals cross the African continent from east to west instead of trying to cross though Egypt) , these two groups were far ahead of the unspecified Sub-Saharans at 26.341 (26p. Altai). Spain had 5.941 (26p. Altai) asylum petitions made during 2014 with Syrians being around 28% , Ukrainian nationals at 16% and Malians at 10% (26p. Altai).

Spain has two enclaves in Morocco Cueta and Melilla, that are completely fenced off, and in the case of Melilla  the report  mentions that migrants actually storm the fence in large groups and authorities from both sides try to stop them but some do make it  through, and it must be noted that the Morocan authorities have made a second fence perimeter on their side. 

Now for Cueta  because of its geography migrants try to access it by sea but are pushed back with force by the Spanish Guardia Civil and they have used in the past pellet guns to scary them off, but this particular practice have actually killed migrants in the past.

 

 But in both cases migrants do try a less risky ways into crossing in to these enclaves like hiding in cars that are entering these territories. 

Morocco (Transit Country/ Destination Country/Springboard State /Buffer State): When migrants arrive to Morocco many stay  because of the difficulty in crossing to Spain or hindrance of the Moroccan government or the fact that they actually find jobs in the country, Morocco has a need for migrant labor in the agricultural sector and in construction and authorities actually gives them the possibility to do this legally and establish residency. So in a ways this State some times works like a barrier nation blocking the entrance to Europe, and they use this capability as a political tool to negotiate with Europe. 

There are four main crossing routs to Spain: through the Gibraltar stretch, Tangier-Tarifa and two land crossings into Melilla and Cueta two Spanish  enclaves in Morocco. 

Now this country also receives Asylum seekers that are feeling conflicts like Syrians nationals, residually Ivoirians that have fled their civil War and Nigerians escaping Boko Haram.  

A big issue with Spain is the fact that Syrians actually are able to "rent" Moroccan passports, because ethnically they are similar to Moroccans who are allowed to enter transitorily to the enclave, once in, they petition for asylum. 

Libya (Transit Country / Trafficking Hotspot/Springboard State/Buffer State) : The report reveals a complicated situation in this country while being hostile to the migratory flows having rival factions, the official government and rebel groups, accusing the migrants having help the opposing  side, with a particularly strong scapegoating against Palestinian and Syrians, but as somewhat of a paradox the Libyan Crisis has "created the perception of the  Door of Europe being open"  (82p. Altai)  and Libya is the doorstep. The country has 18 official detention centers and possibly has more none official centers held by the rebels. Migrants transiting through this territory possibly may end up in bonded labor and  in situation of labor exploitation.

This country actually has a public institution that was specifically created to hunt down migrants called the Directorate for Combating Illegal Migrants, that has opened 18  (64p. Altai) detention facilities around the country, I must note that the report establishes that only  15 (64p. Altai) are functional, but the interesting thing is that in the rebel held areas of the country they also have migrant detention facilities. 

Libya is the main jumping point to cross to Italy and Malta, 80%  (78p. Altai) of all the illegal boat arrivals to Italy part from Libya.

In some cases migrants are trapped in Libya not willing to cross to Europe and facing a hostile situation, and adding to this most countries have closed their embassies so  these people  cannot go to any authorities for help.

Egypt (Destination, Transit):  A over saturated with refugees, so it has become transit country to Europe, even though official actively try to stop boats from leaving there coast.

Niger ( Transit Country/ Trafficking Hotspot): Report establishes the  cities of Arlit and Agadez, as human trafficking hotspots.

Mali (Transit/Trafficking Hotspot): The city of Gao is pinpointed as another trafiking center for migrants.  

Syria (Origin country): Something that laid the ground work for the disaster that pushed thousands of Syrian  fleeing their conflict to cross by boat to Europe via Turkey , was when air travel routs started to be block in 2013 Egypt started to require visas for Syrian passengers so airlines companies wouldn't embark those who didn't have them and Egyptian authorities wouldn't issue them, in 2014 Algeria and Libya followed the same example, leaving Sudan as the only option to travel by air and latter they would transit to Libya by land to try and cross into Europe by boat. 

Tunisia (Transit Country): The country has disarticulated most of the migratory flow through its territory especial heading towards the sea, there are  many migratory check points in the country filtering out irregular migrants.

Things that one can take away from this report:

·         It incredible to see the quagmire that the United State and Europe have created in Libya they indirectly created a springboard to access Europe. The country has ended up as a no man's land  trafficker  have really taken advantage of and established themselves.

·         The report implicitly exposes the issue that as time goes  by its hard and hard to separate migratory flows from asylum seekers and people that are being trafficked, flows are mixed and overlap one another.

·         The report establishes the need of the use of the term irregular migrants and not to use the term of Illegal migrant or illegal, which negates the humanity of the migrants and I must add it adds a level of menace, inclination towards the criminal, to these people that in general are searching for a better life. The term illegal's is used by ill intention politicians to scapegoat on these people, to gain politically.

·         When one reads this report must understand it referring to Mixed Migratory  heading for Europe, it has migrants, refugees and involuntary migrants / victims of trafficking all marching together using the same routs. 

·         The report explains that Dublin III regulations establish that the first country where migrants set foot in is where they have to petition for Asylum or has gotten his fingerprints for Eurodac, and only one claim per person. This regulation plays a important role during the migratory crisis during 2015, when Sweden and Germany unilateral decide to not apply it. 

·         The report actually  works on the concept of what is a Migrant, with a series of interviews that are real eye openers. Basically the Report implicitly establishes that the  idea of Economic Migrant is a over simplification that people not only move over financial/economic needs and physical security issues, but also  that they have  a need of auto-realization, they want a education,  they feel that their lives go nowhere and must migrate to be able to study and/or do something with their lives.  Many of these migrants can make ends meet, but want to grow as people, they want to tap into their true potential or be able apply skills that they have learned and have grown tired of their respective countries instability or lack of opportunities. 

·         Report cites Easterlin's Paradox to explain that income doesn't determine if a person migrates, I got to look that paradox up. 

·         In other cases the Report establish that migration is actually culturally predetermined, it's expected of you to migrate, it's literally a rite of passage.

·         It very interesting to see how Algeria is almost never mention in the report it like a black hole, Altai and the IOM most not have had access to their information and statistics.

The Bad:

·         The report is so well summarized at the beginning that it almost redundant to read the rest, the only novelty of the rest of the report  is that it digs deeper in a statistical level, and you get to read the interviews.

T