LOC13:27
10:27 GMT
GENEVA, June 5 (KUNA) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday it documented roughly 30,000 stranded migrants in West and Central Africa.
"This figure includes nearly 18,000 foreigners unable to cross borders to return home, and people like Mauritanian herders who need to cross into neighbouring countries to graze their cattle", said the IOM in a press release.
At the same tome the UN organisation assisted 179 Malian nationals stranded in Niger with their voluntary return home after waiting at IOM's transit centres in Niamey and Agadez for almost three months due to COVID-19-related border closures.
This first air movement was made possible by an agreement between the Governments of Niger and Mali. In the past two weeks IOM Niger has organized land movements that saw the return of 43 migrants to Burkina Faso and 58 migrants to Benin, IOM explained.
The establishment of humanitarian corridors is essential to ensure that people are able to cross international borders in a timely and dignified manner, with their rights respected and public health issues addressed.
IOM stands ready to help governments increase disease surveillance at their borders, train and equip border officials, and assist with quarantine measures for those who return.
An additional 1,400 migrants from several, mainly west African, countries remain in six IOM transit centres and quarantine sites in Niger waiting for travel restrictions to lift so they, too, can return to their countries of origin.
IOM remains deeply concerned about the plight of stranded migrants. The Organization is providing a wide range of direct support services to migrants across the Americas, Africa and Asia including financial support, food, clothing, shelter, psycho-social and health services.
For more information about stranded migrants in 17 countries around the world please see Journeys Interrupted photo feature published on Wednesday. (end)
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