Migrants' African routes

Nonetheless, this shift has not alleviated the migratory pressure from Libya, which remains a significant source of migration towards Italy and a primary departure point for those seeking the European dream.

[citation needed] For many migrants attempting to navigate complex security, criminal, or corrupt systems along African borders, this journey is a human odyssey that often leaves little evidence or witnesses.

[citation needed] The Sub-Saharan African migratory process is evolving due to shifts in control and repression measures, leading to the gradual emergence of new maritime and overland routes.

[citation needed] The initial migratory route spans from Agadez and Dirkou in Niger to the Sabha oasis in Libya, tracing an old caravan trail that gained prominence in the 1990s.

In recent years, Libya's migration policy has focused on countering the Western embargo and utilizing Southern foreign labor to address productivity shortages, particularly in agriculture and construction.

Despite ongoing human rights violations, Libya's approach has garnered support from European countries through agreements aimed at controlling irregular migration, notably with Italy.

[8] A new westward-oriented route emerged from 2000 onward, encompassing migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly regions afflicted by conflicts and crises (e.g., Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Central African Republic, Cameroon, etc.

The new routes taken by caravans have reshaped urban landscapes in cities such as Agadez and Arlit in Niger, Bamako and Gao in Mali, and Tamanrasset in Algeria, where migrants and individuals facilitating illegal migration activities are prevalent.

[11] The renewed cooperation between Madrid and Rabat, initiated by the Zapatero Government in 2004,[12] prompted Moroccan authorities to take measures deterring and restricting irregular migration.

Over time, fishermen's vessels (such as dugouts or pateras) from Western Sahara, equipped with more powerful engines and accommodating more migrants, have begun their journeys from coastal areas further from El Aaiún.