2023 - Addressing Irregular Migration through Principled
Programmatic Approaches: Examining the West Africa Route
Author: IFPRI-WFP (Sara Moussavi)
This is a joint IFPRI-WFP study on the drivers, profile,
and risks of irregular migration in the West Africa
context. By taking a route-based approach to irregular
migration in West Africa, the study examined migrants’
origins, their transit experience, and the situation where
their journey stalls or ends.
Drawing on a mixed methods approach the study includes
case studies in Mali and Libya, representing an analysis
of the migration route of the Ténéré desert crossing of
the south-central Sahara.
The overall analysis features the profiles of irregular
migrants and the primary factors influencing their
migration decisions. It also examines links between food
insecurity and irregular migration to understand the
risks and address the needs of this increasingly
vulnerable population.
