Situation analysis patterns, levels and trends of African migration

Abstract

African migration is commonly portrayed as a phenomenon driven by poverty, violence and other forms of human misery. Media images and political narratives routinely portray African migrants as victims, who easily fall prey to unscrupulous smugglers and human traffickers who ruthlessly exploit their desperation to reach the European. The most common solutions for the perceived migration crisis proposed by governments and international organizations typically consist of a blend of preventing unauthorized migration by smuggling and trafficking; Deportation or pressuring unauthorized migrants and rejected asylum seekers into voluntary return or soft deportation; Addressing the root causes of migration by reducing poverty and increasing employment in African countries; Informing and sensitizing prospective migrants about the dangers of migration and the arduous circumstances in Europe. The present report will start by reviewing the main patterns and trends of African migration over the past decades. While focusing on international migration, the analysis will not artificially ignore internal migration, based on the understanding that movement within and across borders are intrinsically interlinked and that they stem from the same processes of social transformation and development.