Migrations

Even though it may be useful, a global approach to migration is not sufficient as the nature and challenges of this phenomenon are not the same in North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa. In this light, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) intend to contribute to strategic thinking on the region through this chapter of the Atlas on Regional Integration in West Africa.

International migration is a politically sensitive issue in the North, as well as in the South. The debate it raises is often passionate, even extreme and dangerous. We feel that the best approach is to place observed facts at the centre of the debate. Hence, we have requested that facts should be presented here on the basis of available knowledge, and that the challenges be summarised in light of scientific literature. The result, which of course is never perfect, will require regular updates, since movements of populations and migration policies are often changing.

We have also requested that the migration demographic context be well described, because we realise that this aspect is generally given very little attention. The fact, however, is that sub-Saharan Africa is the last large region in the world where population growth is above 2.5% per year. Nowhere else is pressure on mobility, in every sense of the word, so strong.

ECOWAS member States have embarked on the difficult but irreversible path to the free movement of persons. This option also takes into account the history of the people of West Africa. Irrespective of future trends of migration policies of developed countries, intra-regional mobility (at least seven times more than the volume of migration from West Africa to the rest of the world) should be preserved. However, Africa should not be passive. Therefore, we feel it is important for the debate to focus more on the future than on the past, that the States of the region should define common priorities taking into account their individual specific realities, and that future policies and investments should be anticipated today.

Foreword by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of ECOWAS and Mr. Normand Lauzon, Director of the SWAC.