A/80/302
arrangements with Morocco (2023), 20 Tunisia (2023), 21 Egypt (2024), 22 Lebanon
(2024) 23 and Jordan (2025), 24 while cooperation with Libya is based on the
memorandum of understanding concluded by Italy and Libya. 25 All these cooperation
schemes include policies that cover matters beyond migration. Nonetheless,
considerable funds are earmarked for migration management, most frequently under
the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root cau ses
of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa and under the Neighbourhood,
Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe. Pursuant to
those arrangements, the European Union provides funds, equipment, including
surveillance tools, and training to strengthen countries’ border management. The
International Organization for Migration (IOM) supports some of those countries in
organizing assisted voluntary returns (and voluntary humanitarian returns in the case
of Libya), mainly for migrants intercepted by those countries. 26 Serious concerns have
been expressed about the treatment of migrants and refugees in the context of the
implementation of measures under those arrangements. The alleged violations include
the use of force during interceptions, arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, sexual
harassment of women and onward expulsion. 27
11. In sub-Saharan Africa, building on ongoing cooperation between the European
Union and its member States, on the one hand, and Mauritania, on the other, a new
initiative was launched in early 2024 that is aimed at preventing irregular migration
and strengthening border management, including through the provision by Frontex of
training support and equipment. 28 In parallel, Frontex has expanded its engagement
in Mali, Mauritania, the Niger and Senegal, focusing on capacity-building,
information exchange and potential support for border surveillance. 29 In the Niger,
the Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration of the European Union
and IOM, which is funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability
and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa,
supports assisted voluntary return operations. Most individuals returning to their
countries of origin through assisted voluntary return had been deported or had fled
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23
24
25
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27
28
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6/23
Available at https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-launches-new-cooperation-programmesmorocco-worth-eu624-million-green-transition-migration-and-2023-03-02_en.
The original French text is available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/
attachment/875834/Memorandum_d. An English translation is available at
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3887.
Available at https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/joint-declaration-strategic-andcomprehensive-partnership-between-arab-republic-egypt-and-european-2024-03-17_en.
Available at https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/president-von-der-leyen-reaffirms-eusstrong-support-lebanon-and-its-people-and-announces-eu1-2024-05-02_en.
Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/attachment/880349/
EuropeanUnion-JordanSCP.pdf.
A/HRC/50/31, para. 53; see also www.asgi.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ITALY-LIBYAMEMORANDUM-02.02.2017.pdf.
A/HRC/50/31, para. 53; see also submission by Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici
sull’Immigrazione.
See communication TUN 6/2024 and the reply thereto and communication OTH 114/2024. All
communications, and replies thereto, mentioned in the present report are available from
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/Tmsearch/TMDocuments. See also submissions by Refugees
Platform in Egypt and the Lebanese Centre for Human Rights.
Available at https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/24425c1c-dd34-4c71-8f9e77ecbac22305_en?filename=De%CC%81claration-conjointe-MauritanieEuropeanUnion_en.pdf.
Transnational Institute, “Exporting borders: Frontex and the expansion of fortress Europe in
West Africa”, July 2025, pp. 1–2.
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