Latest news with #Guineans
Spectator
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
What Pope Francis got wrong about illegal migration
Migrants have been pouring into the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa this month. Over 100 on Monday and 344 on Wednesday; the previous week 269 landed, and at the start of April more than 1,000 arrived in a 48-hour period. They are Eritreans, Ethiopians, Sudanese, Guineans, Moroccans, Syrians, Malaysians, Somalis and Senegalese but the three nationalities most heavily represented are Bangladeshis, Egyptians and Pakistanis. Most told their rescuers that they set out from Libya. So much for Giorgia Meloni's efforts to persuade Libya to work with her to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean. Last year the Italian PM, supported by the EU, signed deals with Libya and Tunisia; in exchange for mountains of cash, there were promises to stop the small boats leaving for Lampedusa. Meloni was elected to power in September 2022 with a pledge to drastically reduce illegal immigration, but twelve months later, some 15,000 migrants landed on Lampedusa in a matter of days. Meloni is often held up as an example of a European leader who has cracked the migrant conundrum, but clearly she is still a work in progress.
Arab News
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Migrants deported from Mauritania recount police beatings
ROSSO, SENEGAL: Ismaila Bangoura has terrible dreams about the night when he says Mauritanian police burst into the place in Nouakchott he shared with other Guineans, beat them up, and carted them off to a police station. After three days in detention without food or access to toilets, they were taken to the border with Senegal on March 7, the 25-year-old said. Since then, the group has wandered the streets of Rosso with nowhere to go and no connections to this remote part of northern Senegal. 'They beat us and stuck us in jail without telling us why,' said Bangoura, a trained carpenter who emigrated to Mauritania in 2024 to earn a living. 'They took everything we had — money, watches, phones. They handcuffed us and crammed us into buses to deport us,' he said. He was left with only the clothes on his back — a Guinea squad football jersey and a pair of black shorts. For several weeks now, Mauritania has been throwing out migrants, mostly from neighboring countries in West Africa like Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Guinea. The campaign has sparked indignation in the region. The vast, arid country on the Atlantic seaboard is a departure point for many African migrants seeking to reach Europe by sea. The authorities say their 'routine' deportations target undocumented people. They have not provided information on the number of people expelled. None of the migrants said they intended to take to the sea. Interior Minister Mohammed Ahmed Ould Mohammed Lemine told journalists all the foreigners deported had been in Mauritania illegally. He said the expulsions were 'compliant with international conventions.' Government spokesperson Houssein Ould Meddou said migrants were returned to the border crossings through which they had entered the country. NGOs, however, have condemned the 'inhumane' deportations, and the Senegalese government has voiced outrage at the treatment of its nationals. A few meters from the Rosso crossing, about 30 migrants — mostly Guinean men, women, and children — squatted in a dilapidated building littered with rubbish, each trying to carve out a space of their own in the narrow edifice. 'You have to get in there quickly if you want to secure a place to sleep at night,' commented a young man named Abibou. The rest 'sleep on the street,' he said. The most fortunate end up at the nearby Red Cross premises, where they are looked after. But Mbaye Diop, the head of the Red Cross branch in Rosso, said there had been such a large influx of migrants recently that his organization could no longer accommodate everyone. 'The people who come to us generally arrive exhausted. They're hungry and need a shower. Some also need psychological support,' he said. Around him, several migrants tried to get some sleep on old mats despite the constant noise and movement of people around them. Others remained huddled in their corners, staring blankly. 'We're hungry. We haven't eaten anything since this morning,' one said. Some said they were getting restless and now just wanted to go home. Amid the hubbub, Ramatoulaye Camara tried to soothe her crying toddler. She was also deported in early March. Despite being heavily pregnant with another child, she was — like many others — beaten by Mauritanian guards, imprisoned, and stripped of all her belongings, she recounted. 'We suffered a lot,' she said quietly, trying to comfort the little girl. Idrissa Camara, 33, has been working as a carpenter in Nouakchott since 2018. On March 16, he says he was arrested at his workplace and deported. Since then, he has been wandering around Rosso in the same grey and yellow overalls and protective boots, his only remaining possessions. 'They got so dirty and smelly these past few days that I had to go and wash them in the river. I had to hang around nearby in my underwear while they dried,' he said. The married father of two said he had kept his deportation secret from his family so as not to distress them and planned to return to Nouakchott and his job there. 'All I want is to be able to work and provide for my family. I haven't harmed anyone,' he said.
CAF
17-03-2025
- Sport
- CAF
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Qualifiers: Nigeria, Guinea, Cameroon, and Zambia reach third round
Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia, and Guinea secured their spots in the third and final round of qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, joining Côte d'Ivoire after their respective fixtures and victories on Saturday, 14 March. Below is a summary of the results: Nigeria 2-0 South Africa Nigeria sealed their qualification with a 2-0 victory over South Africa in Ikenne, bringing the aggregate score to 5-1. The Flamingos took the lead in the 37th minute with a goal from Harmony Chidi before Aishat Animashaun doubled the lead in the 56th minute. With the victory, the Nigerians continue their quest to qualify for the finals of the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Guinea 2-1 Sierra Leone Guinea advanced towards to the next round after defeating Sierra Leone 2-1 in the second leg of the second round. With an aggregate score of 4-3, the Guineans qualify for the final stage of the qualifiers. Kouyaté Aïcha opened the scoring in the 8th minute, followed by Aïssatou Diallo, who scored in the 54th minute. This victory keeps Guinea's dream of reaching the final stage alive. Ethiopia 0-1 Cameroon Cameroon took a decisive step toward the final round of qualifications with a 1-0 win over Ethiopia. Already a scorer in the first leg, Tazanou Ange scored the only goal of the match. With an aggregate score of 6-2, the Young Lionesses advance to the final stage of the qualifiers, where they will face the winner of the match between Kenya and Uganda. Zambia 1-0 Tanzania Zambia qualified for the third round of qualifications with a 1-0 win over Tanzania, thanks to a solitary goal from Masela Sekeseke in the 53rd minute, just six minutes after entering the game. This success, coupled with a comprehensive 4-0 win on aggregate, allows the COSAFA U-17 champions to continue their journey. Zambia will face the winner of the match between Benin and DR Congo in the next round.
