In a stunning development, the West African country of Niger has decided to lift its strict law against the smuggling of irregular migrants, allowing migration to Europe with no consequences.

Niger Lifts Anti-Migration Law The smuggling of irregular migrants in the West African country of Niger will now go unpunished. The leader of the military junta has lifted the corresponding law, which was also intended to curb migration to Europe.

The military government in Niger has repealed a law that had reduced the number of migrants from West Africa with the goal of reaching Europe.

The army announced the step, which was carried out on Saturday, on state television in the evening. The 2015 law had banned the transportation of migrants through Niger.

Law passed under pressure from the EU

The law was part of Europe’s strategy to curb migration across the Mediterranean. Niger is one of the key transit countries for African migrants wishing to travel to Europe. The European Union has been working with Niger since 2015, primarily to block the migration route from the Nigerien desert city of Agadez to Libya.

The law, which imposed penalties of up to ten years in prison for smuggling migrants from Agadez through the Sahel region to the border with Libya, was passed in 2015 under pressure from the EU. In return, the EU provided approximately 75 million euros for projects to curb migration. According to the International Organization for Migration, the number of irregular migrants in Niger had decreased since the introduction of the law.

No response from Europe regarding the repeal of the law was available in the evening.

Military junta seeks allies domestically

The law was unpopular among the desert dwellers in Niger who earned their livelihood by providing for and accommodating migrants. Unemployment increased in places like Agadez, a gateway to the Sahara.

Representatives of Agadez welcomed the repeal decree. The law had had negative economic effects on the region, which was known as a hub for smugglers, said Mohamed Anacko, president of the Agadez regional council.

In July, the military seized power in Niger. After Western allies condemned the coup, the junta is seeking support domestically. This includes the desert communities in the north, which had benefited the most from migration. Among other things, they sold fuel to smugglers.

“A nightmare scenario for Europe”

The repeal of the law could have serious consequences for migration across the Mediterranean, said Ulf Laessing, regional office director for the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in the Sahel region: “Now Europe is facing a nightmare scenario.”

Since a coup on July 26, Niger has been ruled by the military. The country was considered the last democratic partner of Europe and the United States in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region. Since the coup, relations between Niger and Western countries have mostly been frozen.