With the headline “Deserto mortale” [Deadly desert], the Vatican newspaper devoted prominent front-page coverage in its February 19 edition to the plight of migrants in the West African nation of Niger (map).
A coup last July precipitated the Nigerien crisis, and the coup leaders legalized migrant smuggling.
“In this strip of desert land, many migrants end up stranded, exploited by trafficking groups and in desperate need of humanitarian assistance,” L’Osservatore Romano reported. “The promotion of peace is fundamental, a crucial element for achieving regional stability.”