From the deserts of Niger to the Atlantic coast of West Africa and on to Europe’s shores, the routes taken by migrants remain perilous. In recent weeks, hundreds of people have been rescued in Niger, Senegal, the English Channel and Portugal. Yet many others continue to perish anonymously in the desert or at sea. Confronted with this stark reality, African and European governments are torn between regional cooperation, repatriation measures and increasingly restrictive legislation.

On Sunday, August 10, nearly 50 migrants, including four women, were rescued in the desert near the northern border of Niger and Libya. According to the Nigerien army, the migrants’ vehicle had broken down over 24 hours earlier, leaving them stranded without food. The rescue occurred along the Madama–Dao road, a well-known crossing point on the route to Europe. Meanwhile, the NGO Alarm Phone Sahara reports that at least 35 migrants have died in the Niger Desert since the beginning of the year. Every year, thousands attempt this route, often after being expelled by Algerian or Libyan authorities.

The number of departures to the Canary Islands from Guinea is increasing. In July, the Mauritanian coast guard rescued two canoes that had left the Guinean coast off Nouadhibou. Kamsar, a port city in north-western Guinea, has emerged as a new departure point. The journey from Kamsar to the Canary Islands is 2,200 kilometres long — about 750 kilometres longer than the route from Senegal.

On Thursday 14 August, the Senegalese Navy intercepted 147 migrants attempting to cross to the Canary Islands. The boat was stopped 92 kilometres off the coast, near the Sangomar peninsula. The passengers were made to disembark at the Amiral Faye Gassama naval base and handed over to the relevant authorities.

During his 48-hour visit to Niamey, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno and Niger’s transitional leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, signed a final communiqué establishing the basis for strengthened bilateral cooperation. The two countries agreed to visa exemptions and more flexible residency requirements for their citizens. Chad also announced plans to open a consulate general in Diffa, southeastern Niger.

From August 11 to 12, French rescue workers assisted over 270 migrants who were attempting to cross the English Channel into the United Kingdom. The maritime prefecture reported that four rescue operations were conducted in a single day. In the meantime, the UK government is preparing to introduce a new offense targeting the promotion of illegal crossings on social media. Offenders could face up to five years in prison and substantial fines. “Promising a safe journey to the United Kingdom (…) is immoral,” said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper as she presented the amendment to the immigration bill.

A court in the Canary Islands ordered the release of a group of Senegalese migrants whom Spanish authorities sought to deport. These migrants had boarded a cayuco (small fishing boat of the Americas) in Mauritania and drifted at sea for seven days. Some survived by clinging to a barge being towed by the Dutch ship Zwerver 3, narrowly avoiding drowning. The court granted the migrants one month to regularize their legal status.

On Saturday, August 9, a court in Silves, in the Faro district of Portugal, ruled that most of the 38 Moroccans who had arrived on the Portuguese coast the previous day would be repatriated. The group included 25 men, six women, and seven children, including a one-year-old. They had set off from the Moroccan coast in a wooden boat. The Portuguese authorities gave them 20 days to leave voluntarily. After this period, they will be expelled by force, except for the children, who are protected under international law.

Two laws passed in Belgium in early July came into effect on Monday 4 August, tightening the conditions for asylum seekers. Under the new rules, anyone who has already been granted protection in another EU country is no longer permitted to register with or be accommodated in Belgian reception centres such as Fedasil or the Red Cross. These individuals will be considered to be staying illegally and may be required to leave the country.