PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Study shows need to make up for remittances for Nigerien returness, families
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - A survey conducted into the reintegration needs of thousands of migrants, who have returned to Niger from Libya, has highlighted the urgency of providing comprehensive reintegration assistance to returnees and their families, who prior to the Libyan crisis relied on remittances for their economic survival.
A statement issued by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and obtained by PANA here Tuesday, said the survey established that the return to Niger of some 90,000 mostly young uneducated male migrants has had "an overall negative impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals who are living in regions affected by chronic food insecurity and under-employment."
According to the statement, the survey notes that 86% of the returnees said they had remitted enough money to support five family members in Niger.
"Their return effectively means that remittances have now dried up, with often dire consequences for vulnerable families living in drought and food insecurity prone areas," the statement said.
It said in the central region of Tahoua, which has seen the majority of returns, the survey shows that household food insecurity has been exacerbated not only by the sharp drop in remittances but also because "an overwhelming majority of returnees have neither jobs to go to nor the financial means to engage in self-employment activities. "
It explained that in several regions such as Zinder, Maradi and Diffa, the return of substantial numbers of often destitute migrants has exacerbated chronic poverty, which prior to the Libyan conflict was said to affect 53% of the population.
The survey further shows that in the North-western region of Tillabéri, which survives on small scale subsistence farming, herding and commerce, those returns have aggravated extreme poverty and hunger, which is affecting more than half of the 2.5 million inhabitants throughout the country threatened with food insecurity this year.
"Most of the returnees say they urgently need financial or in-kind assistance to help them resume a productive life," said Abibatou Wane, IOM's Chief of Mission in Niger. "But we need to go beyond providing direct reintegration assistance to the returnees. We also need to support communities that have been made even more vulnerable by the Libyan conflict and simply cannot cope anymore."
The IOM said the survey shows that 33% of migrants from Niger returned from the capital Tripoli, 20% from the southern Libyan city of Sebha, and 18% from the coastal town of Misrata and the remainder from the cities of Zaouia, Zliten, Al Khums, Benghazi, Brak, Jufra and Sirte.
Almost 41% of the returnees said they were employed in the construction sector, 23% in agriculture and the remainder as drivers, mechanics, petty traders or dockers in the informal sector of the Libyan economy.
When asked what activity they would like to undertake in Niger, 57% of the returnees said they wanted to work in agriculture, 23% in trading, 8% in animal husbandry and the remainder in construction and trade.
"This survey underlines the need to put in place a variety of reintegration options. In the short term, these could range from in-kind assistance to small credit to help the returnees and their families and in the long term, to put in place initiatives that help stabilize communities," said IOM's Wane. "This is particularly important at a time when the authorities are warning of increased crop failure due to erratic rains and insect attacks."
In response to those pressing needs, IOM has launched two pilot reintegration projects to assist a limited number of returnees from Niger and neighbouring countries.
The programmes, funded by the European Commission and the Italian government, aim to provide the returnees with the necessary support to help them set up income generating activities and establish cooperatives.
Partnerships have also been established with NGOs to provide counselling and mentoring of beneficiaries, the statement said.
-0- PANA MO/SEG 25Oct2011
A statement issued by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and obtained by PANA here Tuesday, said the survey established that the return to Niger of some 90,000 mostly young uneducated male migrants has had "an overall negative impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals who are living in regions affected by chronic food insecurity and under-employment."
According to the statement, the survey notes that 86% of the returnees said they had remitted enough money to support five family members in Niger.
"Their return effectively means that remittances have now dried up, with often dire consequences for vulnerable families living in drought and food insecurity prone areas," the statement said.
It said in the central region of Tahoua, which has seen the majority of returns, the survey shows that household food insecurity has been exacerbated not only by the sharp drop in remittances but also because "an overwhelming majority of returnees have neither jobs to go to nor the financial means to engage in self-employment activities. "
It explained that in several regions such as Zinder, Maradi and Diffa, the return of substantial numbers of often destitute migrants has exacerbated chronic poverty, which prior to the Libyan conflict was said to affect 53% of the population.
The survey further shows that in the North-western region of Tillabéri, which survives on small scale subsistence farming, herding and commerce, those returns have aggravated extreme poverty and hunger, which is affecting more than half of the 2.5 million inhabitants throughout the country threatened with food insecurity this year.
"Most of the returnees say they urgently need financial or in-kind assistance to help them resume a productive life," said Abibatou Wane, IOM's Chief of Mission in Niger. "But we need to go beyond providing direct reintegration assistance to the returnees. We also need to support communities that have been made even more vulnerable by the Libyan conflict and simply cannot cope anymore."
The IOM said the survey shows that 33% of migrants from Niger returned from the capital Tripoli, 20% from the southern Libyan city of Sebha, and 18% from the coastal town of Misrata and the remainder from the cities of Zaouia, Zliten, Al Khums, Benghazi, Brak, Jufra and Sirte.
Almost 41% of the returnees said they were employed in the construction sector, 23% in agriculture and the remainder as drivers, mechanics, petty traders or dockers in the informal sector of the Libyan economy.
When asked what activity they would like to undertake in Niger, 57% of the returnees said they wanted to work in agriculture, 23% in trading, 8% in animal husbandry and the remainder in construction and trade.
"This survey underlines the need to put in place a variety of reintegration options. In the short term, these could range from in-kind assistance to small credit to help the returnees and their families and in the long term, to put in place initiatives that help stabilize communities," said IOM's Wane. "This is particularly important at a time when the authorities are warning of increased crop failure due to erratic rains and insect attacks."
In response to those pressing needs, IOM has launched two pilot reintegration projects to assist a limited number of returnees from Niger and neighbouring countries.
The programmes, funded by the European Commission and the Italian government, aim to provide the returnees with the necessary support to help them set up income generating activities and establish cooperatives.
Partnerships have also been established with NGOs to provide counselling and mentoring of beneficiaries, the statement said.
-0- PANA MO/SEG 25Oct2011
