Photo: Simplified map of international migration routes in and from West and North Africa. Most African migrants move and settle within the Maghreb countries, and continue to Europe. Source: DIIS 2011 (www.imap-migration.org) [emphasis added]
Introduction
With the pace of globalization
picking up in recent decades, the reality is that flows of trade, capital,
knowledge and people across national borders and economies are increasing. Migration
has emerged as a vital aspect of global policy discourse. The total number of
international migrants has increased over the last 10 years from 150 million in
2000 to 214 million persons in 2008 (UNFPA 2007). Young people are likely to
migrate. Out of an estimated 191 million international migrants globally in
2006, young people between 15 and 30 years of age comprised a large share –
between 31 and 39 million migrants (IOM 2008). Today, more young people are
moving across borders for demographic, economic, political and social reasons premised
largely on aspirations to escape poverty and seek greater life opportunities.
The Sahara-Mediterranean-Europe
Migration Nexus
In
light of different migration trends, young African migrants have adopted even
more sophisticated and risky means to enter developed countries especially to
Western Europe. This has brought about the growing challenge and complexity of
irregular migration1. Migrants can become irregular in a number of
ways: by entering the country of destination in a clandestine or unlawful
fashion, by having their documents arbitrarily confiscated by their employers,
or by staying on in the country after their asylum application is rejected
(ICHRP 2010). Young African migrants travel through the Saharan desert to
countries like Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and Tunisia as transit
points for onward journey to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. In recent years,
irregular migration has received spotlight. There are approximately 30 to 40
million irregular or undocumented migrants, a number that amounts to between 15
and 20 percent of all international migrants (ICHRP 2010). It is also estimated
that 65,000 and 120,000 sub-Saharan Africans enter the Maghreb2
yearly overland, of which 20 to 38 per cent are estimated to enter Europe (IOM 2008).
Irregular
migration though has also received some policy attention in the Maghreb, the European
Union (EU) and sub-Sahara Africa, the trend still occurs at disturbing rate
because of lack of coherence and effectiveness of existing policies. In 2002, EU
Council of Ministers adopted a plethora of policies including the return action
programme3 and management of irregular migration and bilateral
co-operation. The fact that this trend persists and increasing is an indication
these policies have not lived up to expectation.
This
short paper explores the political, social and economic challenges posed by
irregular migration that affect both African and European countries. The paper tends
to propose coherent and effective policy strategies needed to address the
challenge.
Demystifying the
challenges
Irregular migration
occurring from Western Africa to North Africa and Europe has increasingly been
defined as a security problem (Lutterbeck 2006). Irregular migrants often risk
being arbitrarily arrested, detained, and deported or stripped of their assets.
They have had their rights violated. In Libya, for instance, xenophobia is
expressed in blanket accusations of criminality, verbal and physical attacks,
harassment, extortion, arbitrary detention, forced return and possibly torture
(Hamood 2006). In 2003, more than 100 Ghanaians reportedly died as they were
attempting to cross the desert in search of greener pastures in Europe (BBC
2003).
The UNHCR (2005) estimates that in 2004, 120,000 irregular
migrants attempted to cross the entire Mediterranean, including 35,000 persons
of sub-Saharan origin, although this number would be higher if Atlantic
crossings to the Canary Islands were included. UNHCR spokesperson Sybella
Wilkes at a press briefing on January 31, 2012 revealed that an estimated 1,500
people have drowned or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean
Sea. The highest number of deaths in the Mediterranean region was recorded in
2011 and with massive number of arrivals in Europe via the Mediterranean, with
more than 58,000 people arriving (UNHCR 2012). It is significant to indicate
that the Sahara-Mediterranean-Europe migration trend has the propensity to make
human trafficking, terrorism, and armed conflicts thrive. This poses huge
security and economic challenge to EU member states.
It is difficult to
gather accurate statistics on the number and situation of irregular migrants
(ICHRP 2010). This constitutes a major potential challenge to developing
countries that benefit from remittances since it is difficult to track the flow
of remittances from irregular migrants. Remittances are the second-largest
type of capital flows to Africa (UNECA 2012). Irregular migration therefore has
far-reaching economic implications for developing economies as well.
Recommendations for
Coherent and Effective Policies
Migration
as an important aspect of global cooperation and development demands coherent
and effective policies aimed at reducing or ending the increasing threats of
irregular migration. It is apparently unrealistic and difficult for governments
to formulate policy objectives to stop the movements of irregular migrants. Nevertheless,
it is appropriate to institute measures aimed at reducing its levels. This
essentially implies putting in place a win-win-win policy strategy for
migrants, countries of origin and destination.
To
begin with, African governments have to understand the push factors. There are
certainly factors that compel young migrants to move out of their home
countries with unemployment being paramount. Increasing investments in agriculture
and rural development can potentially deal with these challenges. Though youth
unemployment is a global phenomenon it is more perverse in developing countries
especially in Africa. This accounts for the exodus of ‘frustrated’ young people
seeking for better livelihood elsewhere. African governments must invest resources
in skills development and access to credits to address the key factors causing
youth unemployment. Small
and medium scale enterprises should also to be expanded to support forward and
backward linkages in agriculture sector and to increase youth employment. Investing
in key economic infrastructure and reducing poverty can make developing
countries attractive to both skilled and unskilled labour.
Moreover,
there is the need to integrate policies on protecting the rights of irregular
migrants in Europe, and also providing investments that build and strengthen
the capacity of African countries to clamp down on irregular migration. African
countries should also institute firm border controls to prevent irregular
migrants though this comes at a cost. Martin (2003) indicates that costs of
border control measures are not only human but also financial and that the
twenty-five richest countries spend US$25–$30 billion per year on the
enforcement of immigration laws. With lacking financial capacities of several
African countries, facilitating collaboration between the EU and those of the
Maghreb will ensure that this challenge is addressed. Though the EU has initiated
joint operational project with Tunisia, it has not been effective because countries
in sub-Sahara Africa are sidelined. EU-Africa joint operational security unit
should be formed to reinforce maritime surveillance in the Maghreb and the
Mediterranean to curb border crossing by sea.
The
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU)
as regional organizations have essential roles to play. ECOWAS and AU should push
for holistic integration of country-by-country policies and consultative
processes on migration and security to improve porous border controls and
movement of people. A regional security agency made up of representatives from
countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb should be set up to control and
enhance legitimacy in border movements in Africa.
Conclusion
Irregular
migration cannot be tackled as an isolated policy challenge. It needs coherent
policies that integrate strategies of Europe as ‘receiving’ countries and
Africa governments as ‘sending’ countries. While acknowledging the increase in
risk awareness campaigns by the EU, IOM and the UNHCR, these strategies have
not proved effective countermeasures. Rather, increased levels of poverty,
unemployment and political instability in Africa have emboldened the youth to
seek for greater opportunities elsewhere. The focus should be developing the
capacities of young people for gainful employment. Africa,
though boasts of having the youngest population, has done little to harness
this vital resource for the continent’s economic and social transformation. Considerations
of the above measures can have far-reaching impacts on bucking the gloomy trend
of irregular migration.
NOTES
1 This
paper makes use of the term “irregular” rather than “illegal” migration because
regional bodies have expressed a preference for terminology that does not refer
to “illegality” (ICHRP 2010). The Council of Europe has stated that it “prefers
to use the term ‘irregular migrants’” (Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly,
Resolution 1509 (2006), Human Rights of Irregular Migrants, point 7).
2 The
Maghreb is a region in Northwest Africa traditionally made up of Morocco,
Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania.
3 Proposal for
a Return Action
Programme, (Council doc.
14673/02, 25 November 2002),
adopted at the
JHA Council meeting
on 28-29 November 2002 (Council
doc. 14817/02).
REFERENCES
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
2003. African deaths in Libyan’s deserts’. June 19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3004344.stm
(Accessed December 10, 2012)
Danish Institute for International
Studies (DIIS). 2011. Europe Fighting Irregular Migration – Consequences for
West Africa Mobility. DIIS Policy Brief:
October 2011. Copenhagen
Hamood, Sara. 2006. African
transit migration through Libya to Europe: the human cost. FMRS, AUC, Cairo.
International Organization for
Migration (IOM). 2008. Irregular
Migration from West Africa to the Maghreb and the European Union: An Overview
of Recent Trends. Geneva: IOM
International Council on Human
Rights Policy (IHCRP). 2010. Irregular
Migration, Migrant Smuggling and Human Rights: Towards Coherence. Geneva: Impremerie
Gasser SA, Le Locle
Lutterbeck, Derek. 2006. Policing
Migration in the Mediterranean. Mediterranean
Politics 11: 59-82
Martin, Philip. 2003. Bordering on
Control: Combatting Irregular Migration in North America and Europe. Migration Research Series No. 13. Geneva:
IOM
United Nations Economic Commission
for Africa (UNECA). 2012. Economic Report
on Africa: Unleashing Africa’s Potential as a Pole of Global Growth. Addis
Ababa: UNECA
United
Nations Human Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
2005. UNHCR Global Report 2004. Geneva: UNHCR
United
Nations Human Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). 2012. Mediterranean takes
record as most deadly stretch of water for refugees and migrants. http://www.unhcr.org/4f27e01f9.html
(Accessed January 31, 2012)
United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 2007. State
of the World Population Report 2007— Growing up urban. New York: UNFPA
