Starting in the late 1990s, human smuggling, human trafficking, and migration have all become more significant in North Africa and the Sahel. In addition to being significant origin nations in and of themselves, the regions today serve as major transit hubs for migrants traveling from Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East to Europe.
https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/human-smuggling-and-trafficking-in-the-sahel-2024/