This new package complements 79 already ongoing actions amounting to €1,376 million in that region approved in six packages in January 2016, April 2016, June 2016, December 2016, December 2017 and February 2018. The new actions aim at further fostering stability and economic opportunities in the region, and increasing the protection of migrants.
Summary of the projects announced today
Central Mediterranean route
- In order to continue life-saving assistance to migrants and refugees, €70 million were made available to protect migrants and refugees along the Central Mediterranean route. This adds to the initial allocation of €115 million adopted in February 2018 to support the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) in providing international and emergency protection, basic and live-saving assistance, to refugees evacuated from Libya. Additionally, it will increase the number of migrants benefitting from protection and voluntary return while ensuring their sustainable and dignified reintegration in the frame of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative.
Mali
- Additional assistance worth €10 million will be provided to address the rapidly degrading security situation in central Mali, in order to provide a fast and adapted response. It complements the support already provided by the EU to the G5 Sahel countries. Rule of law, territory control and increased security of the population will be some of the issues addressed, thus facilitating the creation of a trust bound between Malian security forces and local populations.
Nigeria
- New activities worth €50 million will help to improve the employment skills of young people in Nigeria. This will enhance the economic and employment opportunities for up to 376,000 young Nigerians, of which at least 30% women. A strong focus rests on income-generating employment opportunities.
The Gambia
- Economic development and future prospects for youth will be promoted in The Gambia through the project “Building a future – Make it in The Gambia”, worth €23 million. While nurturing positive prospects for local populations, the programme will also support the development of a reintegration referral mechanism by the IOM. The aim is to ensure that returning migrants receive access to skills development programmes and social reintegration, in order to increase their employability.
Cabo Verde and Guinea-Bissau
- A project worth €5 million to be implemented in Cabo Verde and Guinea-Bissau will help to modernise and strengthen secure identity chains and documental security. This will further contribute to the fight against human trafficking and respect of human rights through enhanced security and migration management capabilities, for instance by increasing birth registration. The measure will also enable an effective management of legal migration, through documents issued by national authorities. It will also help to improve public planning through compiling reliable data and statistics on migration flows.
Regional
- At regional level, the programme “ARCHIPELAGO: an African-European TVET initiative”(€15 million) will continue addressing youth and vulnerable groups’ employability through improved technical and vocational education and training and enhanced employment opportunities, therefore contributing to better match labour offer and demand.
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