MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT: A focus on Africa

While human mobility has, historically, been adopted by individuals and households to spread risks, move out of poverty, and improve livelihoods, early discussions on international migration in African countries largely portray it as detrimental to socio-economic development. In recent years, it is widely acknowledged that a well-managed migration can promote African economies’ socio-economic transformation. Yet the relationship between migration and development in the region is neither well understood nor adequately explored. This chapter relies on a desk review and data from recent studies to examine the developmental impacts of international migration in Africa. The findings indicate that migrants contribute to socio-economic development in Africa through remittances, investments, and skills transfers. In recognition of migration’s potential to contribute to socio-economic development, some African countries have developed policies and strategies to mainstream migration into development planning, leverage remittances for development, and promote skills transfers from migrants. In some African countries, however, policies and institutional structures for harnessing the benefits of migration are weak. The chapter makes recommendations for strengthening mechanisms to maximise the developmental impacts of migration in Africa.