Niamey – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Niger has recently signed three new agreements with local NGOs to organize training courses and community-based reintegration projects, for more than 1,000 Nigerien returnees and community members in the regions of Tillabéri, Tahoua, Zinder and Maradi.

These new projects respond to the increasing need of ensuring a sustainable reintegration for migrants returning to Niger from Libya and Algeria. The initiatives seek to contribute to the achievement of economic self-sufficiency, social stability within the communities and psychosocial well-being allowing the beneficiaries to cope with migration drivers.

In the regions of Tahoua, Zinder and Maradi, 300 returnees and another 300 community members will participate this year in community-based projects, implemented through a new partnership between IOM and local NGO “Comité d’Appui au Développement Local” (CADEL). The themes of the selected projects and income-generating activities will depend on the suggestions shared by the local committees and authorities.

The population of Tillabéri region, located in south-western part of Niger bordering Mali and Burkina Faso, often faces poor socio-economic conditions, including food insecurity as a result of persistent drought conditions and the volatile security situation.

Through a new project implemented by the NGO “Groupe Éducatif pour le Développement Durable” (GEDD Gao), four community cooperatives will be set up to carry out projects related to market gardening. Along with a technical training, the beneficiaries will receive irrigation equipment and suitable parcels to help them kick off their reintegration projects.

Since market gardening activities in Niger are usually carried out over six months, the beneficiaries will also be trained in cattle breeding and receive the appropriate cattle to ensure their income all throughout the year. This project will target 100 beneficiaries, including migrant returnees and community members.

Another 300 returnees in Tillabéri will have the choice between a five-day business management training course and a three-day training course in livestock breeding, thanks to the partnerships with the consortium of local NGOs “Organisation Nigérienne pour le Développement, l’Environnement et la Santé”  (ONDES) and “Appui à la Promotion d’Initiatives Locales” (APIL).

“Back in the day, the Filingué department was the capital of grain production in the Tillabéri region. Unfortunately, global warming has reduced the availability of water making living conditions extremely difficult for the local population,” explained Barmo Dan Iya, coordinator for NGO APIL. “We are doing our part by bringing concrete and sustainable solutions to these communities in need.”

Given the fragile situation in this particular region, the projects represent a welcome development. These new agreements aim to revitalize the region by providing new socio-economic opportunities for both migrants and community members.

“Developing new opportunities for returnees and community members is vital for these fragile communities,” said Barbara Rijks, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Niger. “These populations have long suffered from the lack of harvests due to relentless droughts. It’s critical to ensure the migrants’ sustainable return in their communities of origin.”

Close to 2,000 migrants in transit have already benefited from courses in business management in 2019, while close to 400 Nigerien returnees have received training courses in agriculture.

Migrants returning to Niger with IOM’s assistance are eligible for reintegration assistance in the framework of IOM’s Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism and the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration supported by the European Union.

For more information, please contact Monica Chiriac at IOM Niger at Tel: +227 8931 8764, Email: mchiriac@iom.int.