Algeria - 2020 year-end report - Population trends

2020

The North Africa region is characterized by complex displacement and mixed migration through the western and central Mediterranean routes, both among the most perilous in the world. Like other North African countries, Algeria is a country of origin for migrants heading to Europe, and a point of transit and destination for migrants and refugees from sub-Saharan African countries, as well as Syrian and other Arab asylum-seekers and refugees. Highly organized transnational criminal networks facilitate illegal border crossings, transport and accommodation in the south of Algeria, exposing refugees and migrants to violence and risk of exploitation.

The regional context is marked by instability in two neighbouring countries (i.e. Libya and Mali). This presents the potential for a future influx from either, including refugees and migrants previously resident in Libya. Algeria has strengthened its security presence and controls along the borders with Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara, and Morocco, but the vast desert regions pose a challenge to Algeria’s ability to fully secure its territory from perceived threats.