Sahel Edition

The EU’s Silent Partner: Mauritania’s Migration Deal Under ScrutinyF

Posted On 30 May 2025

Number of times this article was read : 2691

Mauritania is getting €210 million in EU funding to act as a migration gatekeeper to fortress Europe. The northwest African nation has intensified its role as Europe’s southern migration police—intercepting over 30,000 migrants in 2025 and dismantling smuggling networks. While the EU considers Nouakchott as a major partner, growing reports of human rights abuses, deportations, and corruption raise concerns about the costs of this strategy. As migration shifts from the Mediterranean to the more perilous Atlantic route toward the Canary Islands, Mauritania is under increasing scrutiny for how it balances enforcement with humanitarian obligations, according to a special report from Mondafrique.

🔒 SUBSCRIBER-ONLY ANALYSIS

This in-depth analysis is reserved exclusively for clients subscribing to The North Africa Journal.

Already a subscriber?
Please log in here

More on the Sahel

Sudan’s Army Gains Ground in Kordofan as War Strains Power and Food Systems$

Sudan’s army is gaining ground in North Kordofan, securing key transport routes that could support a broader push west toward Darfur. But battlefield advances are unfolding alongside a deepening national crisis, with power grid failures, disrupted agriculture and local conflicts compounding the country’s instability. But this latest military momentum is unlikely to resolve Sudan’s widening humanitarian and infrastructure challenges.

Sahel: Niger Emerges as Key Battleground as JNIM and Islamic State Collide$

A defection, a blood feud, and overlapping territorial ambitions are pushing JNIM and the Islamic State Sahel Province into direct competition across western Niger. The outcome around the region of Dosso could determine whether Sahelian jihadist violence stays fragmented — or consolidates into a wider regional arc.

The Nigeria Precedent: Why Degrading One Group Won’t Secure Mali$

The Nigeria Precedent: Why Degrading One Group Won’t Secure Mali$

Seven months into an air campaign against ISWAP and Boko Haram, Nigeria’s broader insecurity crisis remains largely untouched. As Washington weighs a similar strike option against JNIM in Mali, the Nigeria case raises hard questions about what airpower can actually buy.