Migration is the movement of persons from country to country for a range of reasons like better life, better jobs and more opportunities.
The first instance of Human Migration ever began in Africa approximately 2 million years ago by the earlier humans. However, migration in large numbers started around 200,000 years ago, our African ancestors kept exploring through Europe and Asia until they spread to all corners of the earth. Scientific studies have found that
African ancestors migrated outward due to climate Change, data suggests that climate in the Horn of Africa shifted from a wet phase called “green sahara” to a drier climate in order to survive they had to migrate in search of food and animals to hunt. Later on the Migration from Africa then became a result of the slave trade, and movements of colonial labour.
And now The number of migrants across Africa has risen drastically over the past decade as war, crisis, poverty, bad governance and environmental degradation have continued to wreak havoc prompting many to journey in the quest for a better life.
Today African migration is mostly within the continent, According to the UN migration agency the vast majority of migrants around 80% do not leave the African continent for them Ivory Coast and Nigeria in the West, Uganda in the East, Morocco in the North and South Africa are the top destinations.
While most migrants stay in Africa some risk their lives crossing the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea to Europe.
The international organization for migration says the number of people trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean has increased. Around 10,000 migrants have arrived on Spain’s Canary Islands this year and many died in the process. People fleeing war, poverty and persecution in African countries pay smugglers vast amounts of money, many use a route through Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
With the rise of African migrants across the continental border into the European Union countries it is due to note that the grass is not always greener on the other side. African migrants handing over their lives to someone who promised a safe passage into a desired destination are often met with the devastating outcome of human trafficking in the forms of sexual and labor exploitation.
These traffickers and smugglers exploit the vulnerabilities of desperate individuals. Smugglers make a profitable business out of migrants needing to travel across the borders without a secured means to do so leading to loss of lives.
While some migrants never make it to their destinations or are met with unpleasant surprises. For others, migration has a happier ending, migrants bring their skills and labour, they can boost economies and they can send money back home to their families.
Since 2008 remittances by migrants have been greater than foreign direct investment and international aid as the largest source of foreign exchange earnings for Sub Saharan African countries.
The continent leaders need the political will to implement Africa’s many legal frameworks and policies on migration. The emphasis needs to be on the benefits of the people moving freely across borders. There is a need to tackle xenophobia, and human trafficking, to achieve this more coherent pan African position on migration will be required.
African countries should also promote political stability and provide employment opportunities to enable individuals to make a choice between staying and migrating instead of driving them towards the decision of forced migration due to hardships.
