French President Calls for Action Against African Migrant Trafficking

On Tuesday, December 7, the President of France described the trafficking of African migrants as a 'crime against humanity' and called for action against this phenomenon. Emmanuel Macron, speaking before students in Burkina Faso, suggested that Europe and Africa should take action against human trafficking networks in Africa. According to the Associated Press, the 39-year-old leader emphasized his youth and identified himself as belonging to a generation that 'has never seen Africa as a colonized continent.' He then answered numerous questions from students. Illegal migrants begin their journey from West Africa towards Libya, hoping to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Television images broadcast by CNN in November showed a slave market in Libya where migrants were being auctioned. This documentary footage sparked widespread outrage. Mr. Macron stated that he wants 'Africa and Europe to provide extensive assistance for people trapped in Libya to evacuate those at risk.' He did not provide details but mentioned that he would formally present his proposal in detail at the EU-African Union meeting in Ivory Coast on Wednesday. The Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso had previously recalled his ambassador from Libya and stated that 'the existence of slavery in the 21st century is unacceptable.' The issue of migrants is expected to be one of the main topics at Wednesday's meeting in Ivory Coast. Regional security, particularly the issue of extremist Islamism, will also be on the agenda. The French President has called for international support to establish a new military force that includes Burkina Faso and four other West African countries, aimed at countering the increasing growth of jihadists. Burkina Faso has recently faced a series of attacks against its popular restaurants, which are frequented by foreign tourists, resulting in 18 deaths on August 1.