Irregular migration from Eritrea and role of human smuggling

Abstract

The years 2014-2019, saw approximately 104.000 Eritreans arriving by boat from North Africa to Italy alone. Thousands of others arrived via Greece, Spain and Turkey into the EU. With an estimated population of 5,34 million people that equates to almost 2% of the entire population of Eritrea arriving in Italy during these five years. Eritreans were among the ethnic groups associated with the so called 'Migrant Crisis' in the Mediterranean, a phenomenon that has been well-documented. Depending on the viewpoint, migration to the EU through the Mediterranean or via Turkey has been described as an 'invasion', portrayed in some sections as Europe being 'under siege', and suggested - as in the case of the former Italian Interior Minister Salvini - as a means for terrorists to infiltrate European borders. Or, simply, as a tragedy with the route becoming known as 'the world's deadliest' for migrants. Without first understanding or acknowledging the drivers of irregular migration, the responses will not be effective. As Eritreans are one of top nationalities undertaking irregular migration to travel to the EU, this article looks at their motivations and the means used by them to migrate illegally. In doing so, it attempts to show what drives the high volume of people migrating and that the link between smugglers and criminality is not as western perceptions and paradigms would indicate.