Regional Organizations and Intra‐Regional Migration in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Challenges and Prospects
| Date | 01 February 2001 |
| Author | Aderanti Adepoju |
| Published date | 01 February 2001 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2435.00178 |
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© 2001 IOM
International Migration Vol. 39 (6) SI 2/2001
ISSN 0020-7985
Regional Organizations and Intra-
Regional Migration in Sub-Saharan
Africa: Challenges and Prospects
Aderanti Adepoju*
ABSTRACT
Africa is a region of diverse migration circuits relating to origin, destination
and transit for labour migrants, undocumented migrants, refugees and brain
circulation of professionals.
This article outlines major migration configurations in the region, and the role
of two vibrant subregional organizations – Economic Community of West
African States and South African Development Community – in facilitating,
containing or curtailing intra-regional migration which takes place within
diverse political, economic, social and ethnic contexts; the transformation of
brain drain into brain circulation; and commercial migration in place of labour
migration within the region.
Despite overlapping membership, wavering political support, a poor trans-
portation network, border disputes and expulsions, these subregional
organizations are crucial for the region’s collective integration into the global
economy, and to enhance economic growth and facilitate labour intra-
regional migration.
Free movement of persons without visa, adoption of ECOWAS travellers’
cheques and passports, the creation of a borderless Community; and the
granting of voting rights and later citizenship and residence permits by South
Africa to migrant workers from SADC countries are positive developments.
These organizations need to foster cooperation between labour-exporting
and recipient countries, implement the protocols on the right of residence and
establishment; promote dialogue and cooperation in order to harmonize,
* Human Resources Development Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.
44 Adepoju
coordinate and integrate their migration policies as envisioned by the 1991
Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community.
INTRODUCTION
Africa, a continent of contradictions, is at the crossroads economically, politically
and demographically. Rich in resources, its people are becoming poorer by the
day. Efforts by the governments of several countries to restructure their
economies and open their markets to share in the global economy have been
disappointing. Recurrent internal instability and conflicts have spurred disruptive
population displacements. Wars and civil unrest have generated so-called
economic migrants and refugees as political instability erodes the meagre
developmental progress of the post-independence decade. Africa has thus
become a region of diverse circuits for labour migrants, undocumented migrants,
refugees and brain circulation of professionals (Adepoju, 2001). These migrations
occur predominantly intra-regionally with dynamic configurations in various
parts of the region.
Africa continues to be marginalized by globalization and liberalization (increased
integration among countries of markets for goods, services and capital, removal
of cross-border impediments to the flow of financial services, trade, transportation
and communication) even though tariff regimes have been lowered and free
trade promoted. These changes are occurring without a corresponding inflow of
foreign direct investment to stimulate job creation and labour migration. It is a
contradiction that while globalization promotes movement of capital and informa-
tion, movement of persons is curtailed. Yet, migration is increasingly becoming
part of the global process and can no longer be handled solely within a regional
set-up. Indeed, globalization, and with it, economic, political, demographic, social and
cultural transformations, have profound influence on the dynamics of migration
in various parts of Africa. The phenomenon of migrant trafficking, involving
women and children through trans-national channels and networks, is a mani-
festation of this development.
This article outlines major migration configurations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA),
and the role of regional organizations in facilitating, containing or curtailing intra-
regional migration. Two organizations are of particular interest: Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the South African Develop-
ment Community (SADC). These are the more vibrant subregional organizations
in SSA and also reflect the diversity and complexity of migration configurations
in the region. Moreover, the two organizations have faced challenges of free
migration in the process of implementing the protocol on free movement of
persons (in ECOWAS), or in reaching a consensus and implementing it by all
member States (as in SADC). Both organizations include the region’s demo-
graphic and economic giants (Nigeria and Republic of South Africa (RSA));
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