While international media focus on all those migrants’ influx to Europe, the phenomenon is a growing one but in between the African regions and countries as from a recent study of the International Organization for Migration relating to an investigation on year 2015. The intra-African migration 2016 streams is here looked at further to Algeria facing Sub Saharan Migration with Difficulty, knowing that demographers consider that migration will be a significant variable of any adjustment up to 2050, due to which 2 or 3 billion additional people are expected whilst the effects of climate change would probably be felt by now with some areas no longer able to feed any additional population.
Human migration is the movement of the place of life of individuals. It is probably as old as humanity itself, growing 2 percent a year. It measures a stock and includes voluntary as well as forced migration. Internal migrations within countries are also increasing, but it is then referred to population displacement.
Statistics show a recent decrease in the very large migrations that tend to be of the chosen immigration favourable to the brain and skills drain out of poor countries, at the expense of the latter. The characteristics of the current migratory phenomenon are about the diversification of countries of origin and destination, as well as the forms taken by the migration phenomenon itself.
Estimates of capital repatriation to the country of origin from the host country show that these are at least equal if not higher than the amount of financial aid given by the so-called ‘wealthy’ countries to the poorest ones.
Immigration today means the entry into a country or a particular geographical area, of foreign people for either a long stay or to settle.
The word immigration comes from the Latin in-migrare that means ‘falling into place.” In addition to this phenomenon are there are those of dual citizenship and nomadism. The notion of immigrant is based on the statement of the place of birth and nationality. The immigrant is the one who left his place of birth or domiciliation for another place or another State, in order to settle there permanently.
According to international experts immigration can have several causes:
- Economic: job search, greater prosperity, better working conditions. This is the main cause of current emigration;
- Political: the escape of an oppressive regime.
- Religious: hope of a more tolerant land.
- Climate: taste for a different meteorological environment (typically warmer and sunnier);
- Tax: will to enter a more favourable legal and financial environment. This is particular to the highest strata of society and in favour of tax havens.
For Africa, the international organization in its 2016 study highlights the following intra-African regional streams:
- West Africa… 5,927,519 people
- East Africa… 4,583,385 people
- Southern Africa… 2,761,732 people
- Central Africa… 2,039,776 people
- Maghreb… 319,954 people
Top countries of departure
- Burkina Faso . . 425,661 of which. . . 1,294,323 in Ivory Coast
- DR of Congo . . 192,697 of which . . 303,580 in Uganda
- Sudan . . . 190,255 of which . . 552,391 in South Sudan
- Mali . . . 902,272 of which . . . 356,019 in Ivory Coast
Top host countries
- Ivory Coast . . 2,093,354 of which . . 1,294,323 from Burkina Faso
- South Africa . . 1,230,732 including . . 475,403 from Zimbabwe
- Nigeria . . 1,076,442 including . . 351,985 from Benin
- Ethiopia . . 1,063,000 including . . 375,202 from South Sudan
For the Maghreb region, the study cites 319.954 people.
Algerian experts advise these data ought to be taken with all due precaution, and;
- 40% of migrants, say experts of migratory movements, came into Algeria to work;
- 40% are in a kind of ‘transit’ to the European continent; these are the most educated and they aim to settle in Spain, in Italy or in France and
- 20% of these migrants present in Algeria would return home, but cannot do so.
In the face of the magnitude of the phenomenon, the Government recently revealed the preparation of a national file to record all African migrants, and the development of legislation on asylum seekers and refugees.
The Minister of the Interior stated, that in addition to the various possibilities of employment in either construction sites or among others, Algeria would as always be considering itself in need of as varied a workforce in as varied areas of activities as can be had.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs on the other hand stated that the official position of the country as to be keen in welcoming all stressing that Algeria has always been in solidarity with Africa but that there is reason to pay attention to its national security, and that broad international agreement is needed to share the migratory stocks, but through a long-term resolution of the true development of Africa. This should be based on a win/win partnership for each and every party far from any spirit of domination. ademmebtoul@gmail.com
