South Africa has reaffirmed support for an African Union plan to hold a continent-wide conference on migration.
The country said Africa needs a common response to rising migration, anti-migrant hostility and the root causes pushing people to leave home.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, stated this on Wednesday in Pretoria.
“South Africa reaffirms its support for the long-standing decision of the AU to convene a continent-wide conference on migration,” Lamola said.
Why Africa Needs Common Migration Approach
Lamola recalled that the 25th AU Assembly held in Johannesburg in 2015 had called for the conference. The goal was to promote legal mobility within Africa while managing irregular migration.
“The 25th AU Assembly, which was held in Johannesburg in 2015, called for an African migration conference to consider approaches to accelerate mobility and development within the continent, while addressing the challenges posed by increased irregular migration,” he said.
He said any discussion must go beyond borders. It must link migration with peace, economic growth, regional integration and governance.
“South Africa believes that a continent-wide convening on migration must take a holistic view. It must consider migration’s relationship with peace and stability, economic development, regional integration, and democratic governance,” he said.
He added, “It must also provide a space for member states to discuss the root causes of anti-migration sentiments and develop a collective continental approach to preventing violence, discrimination, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance.”
The African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons was adopted in 2018 to allow visa-free travel and right of residence. However, only few countries have ratified it, slowing implementation.
South Africa has faced xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals, which strained ties with Nigeria, Zimbabwe and others. The government has condemned the attacks while calling for better migration management.
Lamola said, “Migration is a continental phenomenon, if not a global phenomenon, whose consequences extend beyond the jurisdiction of any single state.”
He cited research showing many African youths want to migrate due to unemployment, insecurity and climate pressures.
