(AFP) “Here, I don’t exist — I die little by little,” said Hamid, a young Algerian, his gaze fixed on Mediterranean waters he sees as his route to a better future.
“My only hope is to leave for Europe.”
Like thousands of citizens from the Maghreb, the 28-year-old has chosen to risk his life by crossing the Mediterranean on a makeshift boat.
With the coronavirus pandemic further squeezing already scant economic opportunities, Algerians and Tunisians are more determined than ever to reach Europe.
The deadly nature of their gamble was underlined again this month when 60 people, mostly women and children, drowned off the Tunisian coast.
