Coronavirus - Africa: New report from International Organization for Migration (IOM) - Migration in West and North Africa and across the Mediterranean

Anew volume by IOM’sGlobal Migration Data and Analysis Centre (GMDAC)titled Migration in West and North Africa and across the Mediterranean providesamore nuanced view. Thiscomprehensive,fact-basedand balancedaccount of migration from andwithin West and North Africa andon routes towardsthe Mediterraneansifts through important new data fromthe past two years.

Besides offering analysison migration flows within and from North and West Africa,this reportalso offersnew evidence onthe impact of COVID-19 on migrants and migration.

Contrary to common assumptionsabout migrationfromand in West and North Africa, overall levels of international migration in these regions are relatively low, especially compared to norms elsewhere.

Inmid-2019, countries in West and North Africa hosted 10.4 million immigrants,based on UN estimates,representing only 1.6 per cent ofthese regions’total population.That’swellbelow the world average of 3.5%.Outbound emigrantscomprise3.4% of the total population of these countries,on average.

A common misconceptionalso endures concerningthe direction ofoutboundmigration—that it mainly takes migrants out of the region.“Intraregional migration is by far the predominant migration pattern in West Africa,”FrankLaczko, Director at IOM’sGMDAC, explained. “Most migrants from countries in West Africa migrate to other countries in the region and these are often short-term movements.”

Evidence presented in the volume shows that migration contributes to economic and human development and to the resilienceto economic and environmental hazards withincommunities across West and North Africa.For example,migrants acquire new skills, knowledge, socialnormsand values in destination countries which help them to contribute to development back in their home communities in a variety of ways.

For most countries in West Africa, remittance inflows in 2019 representedupwardsof5%oftheirentire GDP, with Nigeria being the top recipient country in the region.Remittances to thatcountry increased by almost 47per cent-from19.7 billion USD in 2010 to 23.8billionUSD in 2019. Similarly,Senegal’sremittancesreceivedsawa record increase of 67per centfrom 1.5 billion USD in 2010 to 2.5billion USD in 2019, based on World Bank data.

Regionwide, total remittances, have increased 43% between 2010 and 2019, from 23.6 billion USD to 33.7billion.Migrantsinterviewed in countries in West and North Africareportto be moving mainly to seek better livelihood opportunities, join their family members or study. This contrasts sharply with reasonsgiven by migrants interviewed in Italy after crossing the Mediterranean, which often include fleeing conflict and political insecurity and searching international protection.

“This may be an indication that migrants seeking international protection often have no choice but to embark on dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean and that the original reasons for migrating may change during the journey due to violence and abuses faced in countries of transit or first destination,”notedMarziaRango, one of the lead editors of the report.

“Europe’s tightening of external border controls and the increasing tendency to criminalize irregular migration in countries in West and North Africa may have exacerbated risks faced by migrants,”she added.

Mobility restrictions have resultedin many migrants becoming stranded at international borders and in quarantine and transit centres across these regions – anestimated 50,000 by the end of June 2020, according todata from IOM’sDisplacementTrackingMatrix (DTM).

DespiteCOVID-19, migration along the Central Mediterranean Routemore than doubledduring 2020. Arrivals to Italy during the first half of 2020 increased by 150 per centcompared to the same period in 2019,from 2,779 in 2019 to 6,950, though overall levels are quite low compared to previous years. Arrivals to Maltaincreasedby 33 per centfrom 1,276 inthe first half of2019 to 1,699duringthe same period in 2020.

Lack of job opportunities due tothe pandemichas likely contributed tosuch anincrease,among other factors.

“Migration in West and North Africa and across the Mediterranean: trends, risks, development and governance”comprises 38 chapterscontributed bynearly 50 experts across international organizations, civilsocietyand migrant associations on both sides of the MediterraneanSea.Theworkwassupported financially by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Access the full report here .

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Organization for Migration (IOM).