The European Commission has opened an office in Mali to improve the management of migration. The Migration Information and Management Centre (CIGEM) is a pilot project that is to be copied in other West African countries.

The EU said the new office is aimed at providing a response to the migration phenomenon. It aims to help Mali come up with a migration policy that addresses the concerns of potential migrants, returning migrants and Malians residing abroad.

Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said that instead of demonising the migration phenomenon, it should be supported, structured and managed optimally as a positive human element for both Africa and Europe.

"The centre paves the way for managing migration flows more effectively and making greater use of the development opportunities provided by migration," he said during the inauguration of the centre.

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