The Malian government says it will not help the European Union identify and return illegal Malian migrants back to the country.
Talks are ongoing as part of efforts by the EU to curb migration via cooperation with key countries of origin, a strategy that resulted in a multi-million dollar deal with Niger earlier this month.
In Mali, negotiations on facilitating migrant returns have caused a stir, following terms of the proposed deal detailing the presence of civil servants in Europe to help authorities identify Malians who are there illegally.
The government’s main concern is the safety and well-being of Malians abroad, Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told reporters Monday in Bamako. He said civil servants traveling to Europe to identify migrants who have had their asylum requests rejected is out of the question.
EU border agency Frontex has estimated that more than 10,000 Malians have entered the bloc since the start of 2015. This month, Algeria rounded up and deported 260 Malians.
The EU is proposing a $160 million deal with Mali to expedite the return of migrants to the African country.
