1. MIGRATION CONTEXT
1.1 Niger has been the site of migration flows across the Sahel region for many years. It has also become an important transit country for migrants travelling north and on to the Mediterranean. The country hosts a large population of refugees: more than 126,000 refugees have sought safety in Diffa (south-east Niger) alone.[i]
1.2 Recently, Niger has become a destination and transit country for people expelled from Algeria and returned (forced or "evacuated") from Libya. These returns have put a huge pressure on Niger, with some observers referring to the country as a "permanent transit centre."[ii]