UN Migration Agency's Rescue Missions in Niger Help 1,000 Migrants Since April

The Search and Rescue operations conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in northern Niger helped 1,000 migrants since April 2017, the IOM said in a statement on Tuesday.

MOSCOW

(Sputnik) — "A total of 1,000 migrants have been rescued since April of this year in northern Niger by the search and rescue operations of IOM, the UN Migration Agency. From 19-25 July, IOM conducted an assessment mission of migratory routes in the Tenere desert and the area surrounding Niger's border with Libya," the statement said.

The aim of the operation was to improve migrant rescues and strengthen the government of Niger's migration management capacity, the IOM added.

"IOM together with Niger’s Department of Civil Protection (DCP) covered more than 1,400 km [870 miles] at the end of July in the northern part of the country to identify the challenges and changes in flows and migratory routes, whilst also rescuing more than 150 migrants in distress," the organization stressed.

According to the IOM figures, more than 60,000 individuals have been registered entering Niger since January, and only half of this number were observed leaving the country through the migrant flow monitoring points in Seguedine and Arlit cities.

Niger is one of the least developed countries in the world with the poorest social, economic and development indicators, according to the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI). Volatile situation in such neighboring countries as Libya, Nigeria and Mali as well as internal conflict in Niger's certain regions are among the key factors affecting the migration situation in the country.