Addis Ababa, 26 October 2017 (ECA) - African migrants seeking better lives often face challenges that belie the true and complex nature of the phenomenon, delegates to meeting on the phenomenon were told Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“The news media portrays African migration to Europe as uncontrollable and intractable,” Caroline Kihato, a professor at the University of Johannesburg Graduate School of Architecture said in her presentation close to 300 delegates of governments, observers and civil society organizations.
Africans are portrayed as poor and desperate, which is fueling the drive to keep African migrants out of Europe. However, in her presentation that analysed international migration in Africa, she said the news reports had led to a European-driven migration narrative that failed to take into account Africa’s situation and needs.
“This dominant narrative has given very little attention to migration within our continent”, she said
Furthermore, the narrative that African migrants are all headed to Europe belies reality. In fact, she said, 79 per cent of Africans moved within Africa, most normally. These are largely young and economically active. They range in age of between 22 and 64 years; accounting for 66 per cent of migrants. What is actually decreasing is the humanitarian-driven migration as a result of conflict, she told delegates to the two-day consultative gathering convened in the Ethiopian capital.
The meeting is organized jointly by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union, and the International Organization for Migration around the Global Compact on Migration. Africa is expected speak as one in its contribution to this agreement, envisaged to set out a range of principles, commitments and understandings among member States regarding international migration. The consultative meeting in Addis Ababa is debating 7 themes.
Kihoto said there were mixed migrant flows in Africa. Some are some are fleeing conflict, terrorism, poverty, political instability, or just seeking better conditions of life and work elsewhere other than their countries of origin. However, she said, 90 per cent of Africans who migrate to OECD moved legally.
Visa restrictions
Referring to the African Visa Openness Index, Kihoto said that 75 per cent of the top 20 countries with the most visa-open regimes were in East and West Africa. Only one country in North falls within this bracket and none in Central Africa.
“The restriction is hindering the African Union ideal of visa-free movement in Africa,” Michelle Aguey, moderator of the discussions on human rights of migrants, added referring to Africans.
African countries are being asked to view the movements of their citizens in the continent orderly, safe, legal, and hassle-free and as a major objective that would contribute to sustainable development.
The second African Union meeting of Specialized Technical Committee on Migration, Refugee and Internally Displace Persons that began Monday has completed a draft protocol on the movement of people in the continent.
“This is going to help a lot in the free movement of people,”said John Mugerwa, head of the Regional Eocnomic Cooperation Department at the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said during discussions in plenary.
The consultation meeting in Addis Ababa is looking at six thematic areas of these. First of these debated was human rights of all migrants, social inclusion, cohesion and all forms of discrimination, including racism, xenophobia and intolerance. Outcomes of this discussion will make up the single Africa position to be presented at the Global Compact for Migration.
“African’s need to implement immigration protocols and conventions they have ratified“ Michelle Agueyt, the moderator of the thematic area on human rights of all migrants, said.
Issued by:
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