By Stephan Dünnwald

Through numerous negotiations with the southern Mediterranean littoral states, Europe has succeeded in pushing the front line of its defense against refugees and migrants beyond the high seas, right into the interior of the African Maghreb states. In exchange for easier access to European visas for their own citizens, and increased development aid, the Maghreb states soon agreed to refuse Sub-Saharan migrants entry into and transit through their territory – even though in some cases these prohibitions lack any legal basis.

By Ousmane Diarra (AME*)

It is estimated that around one-third of the Malian population, that is four million people, live outside the country, of which more than half reside in other West African countries. A large number of undocumented Malian migrants in Europe are being confronted with the current strengthening of European immigration policies. The Malian authorities pay significant attention to migrants’ financial contributions to the country in the form of remittances and to their support of development in their locality of origin.

By Martin Glasenapp

Only someone who has the ‘right’ to cross borders reaches the other side – but for some people the borders are impassable. How a courageous civil society in Mali tries to break the spell of the free trade globalisation.

By Charlotte Wiedemann

After the rain, the Sahel zone has a volatile charm with a green so intense it blinds the eye because the rest of the year all they see is yellow land burnt by drought. This is the North West of Mali, flat barren land. Here, for half a century young men have packed their bags in the first light of morning, and set out to seek work in other parts of the world. Because that was what one did… and because the green is ever fading for an increasingly drier yellow.

By Charlotte Wiedemann

Standing in front of this iron door flap wasn’t planned, not at all. The iron flap keeps opening and closing. The flap is part of an iron door, and the door leads to the central prison. Five detained journalists are in custody here, editors and directors of Malian newspapers. But this was not planned, not in this story that was supposed to cover democracy in Mali, one of the few democracies in Africa.

Gunvor Jónsson

This paper explores the local meaning of migration and the experience of immobility amongst young men of Soninke ethnicity in a village in the Kayes region of Mali.

By Diane Galatowitsch

This case study establishes a historical basis for migration from Kayes, contextualizes co-development in immigration and development literature, and provides insight into how organizations implementing migrant financed projects in Mali define and perceive the concept of co-development.