Events

The city of Agadez in Niger lies at the entrance of the Sahara. Until 2023, Agadez held a strategic role in the European Union’s migration control strategy in West Africa. It became a key outpost in efforts to monitor the migration towards Europe and training police and border guards. A virtual border was established – an externalized frontier that aimed to halt migration before it reached the Mediterranean. In exchange for cooperation, the local population was promised improvements: reduced youth unemployment, less crime, and a crackdown on entrenched corruption. But as time passed, these commitments largely failed to materialize. The economic and social challenges in Agadez persisted while the promised development remained elusive.

Over the course of five years, a documentary closely follows the lives of three residents of Agadez, each confronting the harsh realities of inequality, broken promises, and institutional neglect. Through their eyes, we witness daily acts of resilience in the face of systemic failure. Ultimately, it reveals the deep disillusionment with Europe’s migration policies – a fractured pact that left Agadez bearing the weight of a border it did not ask for.

Aftertalk with Gerald Igor Hauzenberger & Gabriela Schild.