In a report on migration titled ‘International
Migration in Africa:Framing The Issues…released during the 9th conference of
African finance ministers at the on-going African Development week (#ADW2016)
in Addis, Ababa-Ethiopia,, it was realized that migration streams within Africa
are much larger than those out of Africa. This results in more than half of
those migrating internationally doing so within Africa, with only about 28% of
migrants from Africa going to Europe. Of the total migrant stock in Europe,
less than 12% are from Africa.
Shocking right? What this report is saying is that
majority of those who leave their African countries in search of greener
pastures do not actually leave the continent; they move in a circle,
over-burdening the infrastructure and facilities and then slowing down
development rate some more.
We have two options. It is either we look at this
situation as a problem or as a condition that can be turned around.
It is equally important for me to point out that in
destination countries, migrants do not only do jobs that the local citizens of
that country do not want to do but in most cases create jobs for themselves. What
this tells us is that the role of migration in development must not be
overlooked.
The next question would be do we realize the fact that
migrants contribute to the development of
regions? Harnessing opportunities within African countries would
maintain and sustain these migrants from moving out of Africa.
Intra region moving could mean a whole lot for the
continent than the moving to Europe. Remittances from internal migrants are
about four times more than international migrants. They get to the remotest
parts of Africa, something these international migrations cannot do.
Not to confuse refugees for migrants, refugees for
some reason or the other may not return to their countries. One of such
examples is caused by conflict and severe human rights violation, as well as
exploitation of economic resources. This raises the question of ensuring
security in these disaster prone areas and ensuring that these places are not
abandoned but instead given the opportunity to develop and provide the needed
growth facilities
In the next 15 years Africa would have to find jobs
for 350million people. The doubling of population within the next thirty years
will lead to migration both inside and outside.
Right now, because of the high rate of movement into
urban areas, migrants are seen as contributing to poverty and crowding
facilities in these urban places. But instead of focusing on sending them back
without anything to look forward to, we should note that rural urban migrants
play a big role in the urbanization and poverty alleviation of these places.
If we have adequate infrastructure, facilities and a
stable economy, refugee status can change along migratory routes, relieving
governments of continually having to provide them with aids.
What is the next course of action? Reviewing tax laws
to improve our weakened system to stop illicit outflow from the continent, so
we can provide adequate security for the disaster prone areas, develop the
rural areas by investing in Agriculture, upgrading and expanding urban
facilities to cater for increasing population of people in the cities, and to begin
a process of preparing for the population boom that is bound to hit us in the
next 15 years.
