EU effort to stem African migration leaves some ex-smugglers empty handed

August 05, 2020 - Niger, Africa - Would-be entrepreneurs in the ancient city of Agadez, long a launch point for northbound travelers, seek support from a vast EU fund, established in 2015 to address the root causes of illegal migration to Europe. A spike in migration from sub-Saharan Africa in the last decade has proved deadly to thousands and created a refugee crisis in countries like Italy and Spain. Yet the EU money has been slow to arrive: Only half the 4.7 billion euros ($5.5 billion) from the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) approved over the last five years has been distributed.