African Migration to Europe, L/A &
Caribbean
Interregional Workshop on
International Migration
Charles A. Kwenin
22-23 Sept. 2011, Geneva
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Global Outlook for Int’l Migration
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Mega-Trends: One billion people on the move at any one
time (migrants) 215 mil. crossing int’l borders and 740 mil.
moving inside their own countries in search of a better life.
In 2000, 300 mil. people were connected to the internet,
Now 2 billion; i.e. 1 in 7 persons on the globe in a migratory
status and 1 in 3 connected to the internet.
Feminization: More female migrants as heads of households;
Far more internal migrants (S-S) than Int’l migrants (S-N), SSA
Africa: 69% (10 million out of 14.5 million; Ratha and Shaw
2007);
North Africa (and Middle East) 19 % of migration within
region; 80 % outward
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Migration Flows in Africa
Libya
Nigeria
Senegal
Cameroon
Migration flows in Africa
DRC
Côte d’Ivoire
Gabon
South Africa
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Main countries of destination and
flows in West Africa
Countries of origin:
Mauritania, Mali, GuineaBissau, Guinea, Cap-Verde
Senegal
Countries of origin:
Senegal, Mauritania, Mali,
Guinea, Burkina-Faso,
Ghana
Côte d’Ivoire
Countries of origin:
Ghana, Niger, Chad,
Togo, Benin
Nigeria
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Trends / Patterns - W/ African
Migration
`A misconception - all migrants crossing the Sahara are “in transit”
to Europe; Est. about 65,000-120,000 SSAns enter Maghreb
yearly over land; 20-38% are estimated to enter Europe. (e.g.
Libya is an important destination in its own right) Many
migrants stay in N/A as a Second best option;
 Majority of W/Ans enter Europe legally. Recent total annual
increase of registered W/Ans pop. in the EU is about 100,000;
whilst total no. of successful irregular crossing is about 25,00035,000 per year ;(only a fraction of total EU immigration of
about 2.6million in 2004);
 Despite recent increase, W/A migration to the EU is still
relatively modest compared to migration from N/A and E.
Europe. Estimated 800,000 registered W/Ans migrants in the
main European countries compared to 2,600,000 N. Africans.
(Moroccans alone could outnumber all W/Ans in Europe)
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Migration Routes
WEST & NORTH AFRICA:
Migrants: regional, extraregional
Sudan: cross roads for East
Africans and extra-regional
migrants - en route to Libya and
Tunisian harbors;
Migrants from Gulf of Guinea:
Togo, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria,
Cameroon) cross Mali and Niger;
North toward Niger and Mali, to
Libya frontiers, or
West through Morocco via
Canary Islands and Andalusia to
Spain and Europe.
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Trends / Patterns - W/ African
Migration
 Migration is generally a conscious choice by relatively
well-off individuals and households to enhance their
livelihoods. – Vast majority of migrants move on their
own initiative;
 Migration from W/A to the Maghreb and Europe is
likely to continue; increased border controls have
rather led to the swift diversion of migration routes
with increase in the risks, costs & suffering of migrants
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Arrivals in Lampedusa
Arrivals in Lampedusa 2011 (until 20th of September)
Total: 52,289
From Libya
25,935
Other Nationalities: Ghana,
Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan,
Nigeria, B-F, Mali, Niger, CDI,
Senegal, Gambia, Congo,
From Tunisia
26,354
Nationalities: Tunisia
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Evacuation from Libya
309,000 TCNs fled
Libya over past 7 months
46 Gov’ts requested
IOM support.
208,000 TCNs assisted
by IOM/UNHCR/Partners
via commercial & charter
flights, in-kind air assets,
land and sea
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West African returnees from Libya
• 221,500 SSA Returnees Assisted
• 200,000 West African Returnees
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Migration Routes
EAST AFRICA:
Mediterranean Sea Routes – from the
shores of Libya and Egypt to Malta, Italy
(Lampedusa), Cyprus and Greece
Gulf of Aden Route – from Somalia to
Yemen crossing the Gulf of Aden via
Bossaso, Puntland.
Red Sea Route – via the Red Sea and the
Suez Canal to Italy and Malta. Also
through Djibouti to Yemen via Obock.
Southern Africa Route – through Kenya,
Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique with
destination to South Africa (IOM est. 1618,000 attempts annually; Ethiopians &
Somalis)
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Major migratory routes relevant
to Gulf of Aden Region
Migratory
routes
Urban
areas
Departure
points
Transit
centres
Djibouti
Berbera
Refugee
camps
Bossaso
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Mixed Migratory Flows in the HoA
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Every year thousands of migrants travel from the Horn of
Africa (HoA) across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen and beyond.
The no. of crossings /arrivals remain high estimated at 2000
pax. per week despite difficult conditions,
Gulf of Eden Crossing: Yemen Mixed Migration Task Force,
Estimates:
2006: 22,000
2007: 30,000
2008: 40, 000
2009: 77,802
2010: 43,000 (decrease due to tightened Security / patrols) C
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African Migration to L/A & Caribbean
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GoTZ/IOM /UNHCR Regional Conference on Refugee Protection &
International Migration: Mixed Movements and Irregular Migration from
the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region to Southern Africa;
Tanzania, 6-7 Sept. 2010;
Ecuador lifted its visa request for most African and many Asian countries
some three years ago, but steady introduction September 2010, after large
flows of migrants from Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and some African
countries
Ecuador is using two criteria: a) Increase over 2 – 3 consecutive months,
the visa requirement is established; b) Immigration officers - request proof
of tourist conditions
Both the Regional Conference on Migration (CRM, North/Central America)
and the South American Conference on Migration analyzing the issue of
extra-continental migration to LAC. IOM is carrying out a study in
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, to be ready by November 2011.
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Advances & Gaps in Inst’l
Arrangements
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Continental / Regional / National Policies & Programmes:
African Union: MPFA, ACP on M & D, Ouaga PoA, Joint EUAfrica Declaration on M &D;
RECs – COMESA, EAC, ECOWAS, ECCAS, IGAD, SADC (RMPFs –
Banjul Dec) / HeSADs
EU-Africa Strategic Partnerships; (Mobility, Migration &
Employment – 7th Parternership); Rabat & Tripoli Declaration
Migration Data / Migration Profiles;
Migration Policies, Capacity Building / Training; ACBC in Moshi
Mixed Migration Task Force (MMTF) Yemen, Kenya etc
(IOM,UNHCR, OCHA, DRC, etc); Joint Regional Mtgs IOM / HCR
Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs;
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Global RCP Landscape (2010)
15 major RCPs (all regions except Caribbean and Central Africa
142 States participate in RCPs
RCPs facilitating info. exchange (data, policies, best practices);
Enhance cooperation among States
Promote inter-regional dialogue/exchange between RCPs;
IOM’s Role: observer, expert and/or technical secretariat
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Conclusion
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Migration is humanities’ oldest action against poverty – the powerful
manifestation of an individual’s desire for development, dignity and a
decent life – even if it means doing the dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs - jobs that domestic workforces often shun.
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Countries often pride themselves publicly on being a “migrant society” or
a “nation of migrants.” Sadly, all too often, these are referrals to
yesterday’s migrants – not to those arriving on our shores or on our
borders today.
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Given the global demographic and labour market trends, widening NorthSouth disparities, large scale migration is both INEVITABLE, UNAVOIDABLE
!! and if well and humanely managed -- also DESIRABLE AND NECESSARY.
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Promote Safe Migration and Positive
Thank You
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