The Status Quo is unacceptable: it’s time to normalize the narratives on African Migration, Experts Urge

Abstract

Technical experts to the High-Level Panel on Migration in Africa (HLPM) concluded a two-day meeting at the headquarters of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, with a strong call for a new narrative on African migration based on the notion that migration is normal and inevitable. “The status quo is unacceptable,” emphasized Sibry Tapsoba, Director of the Transition Support Department at African Development Bank in opening remarks, describing the situation in Côte d'Ivoire where migrants make up around 12% of the population and where large numbers of children and adult migrants, including a number of high-profile residents, have no identity papers.