The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has divided international migrants into two groups: those who migrate of their own free will, leaving for study, work or to join their family, and those who migrate due to repression or natural disaster. The two categories have rapidly become interdependent because of their fairly interrelated motives of searching for better employment opportunities abroad.
Build on the aforementioned motives, youth migration from poor countries with low probability of employment to richer and more dynamic countries where there is an opportunity to find some sort of job and better welfare conditions has intensified over the last few years. As if to probably illustrate the phenomenon of youth exodus from poor countries the media recently reported the plight of Africans prepared to take on the desert to seek better life in Khadafi`s Libya.
Besides Libya other major centers of attraction are the United States and the European Union with countries in southern Europe gradually becoming immigrant-receiving countries. The third major region that attracts migrants is the oil rich Middle East. The fourth major region set to be another target for increasing numbers is Asia/ Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand.
Nevertheless, owing to the demographic reports in Europe, Europeans have become aware of the demographic turn down and the ageing of the population that will set in over the next few decades. The dearth of manpower in certain sectors is becoming a serious problem in numerous countries requiring a rethinking of immigration policies that have prevailed over the years. Though faced with the task to resolve this conundrum, Europe can no longer simply close its eyes as it consumes illegal youth workers whose entry into the E.U is prohibited thereby supplying circuits trafficking human beings.
The challenges of managing international migrants are manifold and urgent. The ambivalent reaction to this dynamic is reflected in procedures for legalizing foreigners without papers in certain countries. Other adjustments include harmonizing and improving refugee reception policies that regulate the legal entry of migrants while discouraging illegal migration and human trafficking. Another urgent challenge is taking an active part in the development policy of the youth migrant’s country of origin.
With the increasing figure of youth migrants moving away from their country’s of origin to developed countries, migration is on its way of becoming the heart of development. As long as under-development persists, wealthier countries will continue to be a magnet of people who find no economic development prospects at home. In an increasingly inter-connected world, neither privilege nor poverty can be contained within the borders.
What then are Youth Migration Outcomes on their Countries Of Origin?
Like slave trade, youth migration deprives Africa of the cream of its society. Migrants are a nation's most energetic, feisty and entrepreneurial citizens. Justifying this assertion Dieudone Gnammankou in his doctoral thesis in history and civilization presented a series of African slaves who at various times made remarkable contributions to arts and sciences in Europe while their original countries staggered in under-development and backwardness.
Juan Latino (1516-c.1595) was one of the greatest poets and scholars of 16th century Spain. He taught Latin and Greek at the university of Granada and is considered one of the monuments of 17th century Spanish literature.
Anton Amo, a native of what is now Ghana, lived in Germany in the 18th century, published three philosophical works and taught at the university of Halle, Wittenberg and Jena. He was also adviser to the court at Berlin.
Jean le Noir, an African protégé′ of Frederick II, was also appointed Vizier of the Kingdom of Sicily.
In the 16th century Venice, a black woman Anne, known as the Italian Cleopatra for her great beauty, was mistress to the Cardinal de Medici (the future pope Clement VII) a son was born of this union, Alessandro de Medici, known as the Moor, who became the first Duke of Florence.
Ignatius Sancho, in 18th century England became a celebrated man of letters and produced works among the best-sellers of his day.
Abraham Petrovitch Hanibal (1696-1781) born in Logone Cameroon, a learned engineer and author of the treatises Practical Geometry and Fortification, became technical director and general in chief of the Russian Imperial Army. He directed most of the major construction projects undertaking in Russia and founded the city of Elizabethgrad, ( Kirovagrad, Ukraine). The great grandson of Alexander Pushkin was Russia’s greatest poet.
Alexandre Damas, a great French author was the grand son of a former African slave woman in Santo Domingo.
If these 15th and 16th century African experts had not been “buried” in their adopted countries or invested in the development of the African continent I wonder where on the classification chart Africa could have been today. Developing countries, particularly Africa, are being stripped of the possibility of attaining the impressive height of a developed nation by the setting in of migration in an unparalleled and unchecked way. For how long shall the black presence continue to suffer reproach, servitude, trafficking, illegal migration, exploitation, repatriation and prejudice? Evidence exists that in Morocco, almost every year, thousands of Africans dream of building castles in Spain and of finding happiness in Europe. Wondering along the roads or packed into sordid hotel rooms in Morocco, Africans are pushed by the nightmare of an interminable wait or a life that may end at the bottom of the Straits of Gibraltar. Some of the young migrants who try to cross the narrow channel hope that on the other side they will find reasons to go on living. It is indeed a chronicle of desperate adventure.
Eyoum Ngangue, a correspondent for The Courier, laments in one of his reports on youth migrants from Africa who continue to embark on the adventure to Eldorado at the risk of their lives in the bottom of a ship’s hold, in an aircraft’s undercarriage, in the cold of a refrigerated lorry or even on board cockleshells. Spanish and Moroccan media publish macabre news about the dramas taking place between Africa and Europe as capsized launches and the bodies of migrants are ripped in pieces by sharks.
As barriers mount, increasing desperate measures are taken by people prepared to risk their lives to circumvent them. For traffickers it is an opportunity to generate huge profits but for the clandestine migrants a terrifying and fatal journey. Increasingly, a bulk of African youths continue to be driven by the desperate desire to escape destitution from a continent devastated by bad governance, embezzlement, nepotism, exploitation, unemployment, hunger and political crises.
What are the Stakes for the African Governments?
The propensity for illegal migration today amongst youth circles should serve as a strong wake–up call to all African leaders; not only to adjust their systems and policies but also to set up priority youth targeted programs that will give the continent a new face-lift.
Nelson Mandela said, “I hope and vowed then that among the treasures that life might offer me would be the opportunity to serve my country and make my humble contribution to their struggle”.
George Washington made a similar statement to this connection when he said “I hope I shall ways possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most valuable of all titles; the character of an honest man”.
If Africans are suffering it is certainly the effect of dishonesty in the character of the continent’s leadership and an unwillingness of the power brokers to contribute to their struggle. Africa is the richest in raw materials yet poorest in basic social welfare of its citizenry. The desperation of Africans is not normal. It requires a response from those who hold the “horns” of the continent.
As youths we are appealing for the authorities in Africa to choose to comply with their consciences and not to comply with personal interests. In this way we can give Africa the chance to experience true prosperity.
African youths need responsive and proactive executive leadership at all levels of national affairs; one that is governed and guided by the rule of leading the people by example. We desire a new order of authority building on the framework of bringing about change by serving as an example. Times tell us that we should pursue peace without the possible use of coercion. The excellence of government is in respecting the people’s democracy and also in implementing accords, protocols and resolutions without the eruption of domination and subjugation. Without such a pattern of leadership the myth that Europe is a paradise to many Africans will hardly be reverted.
The intensity of youth migration is because these youths have the opinion that Africa is poor. Poverty is not limited to not having money in your pocket, the National Treasury or the Central Bank. Poverty is in the ideas of leaders and general mentalities among the public. Poverty is a nation's concept of life. Africa is rated poorly partly because the continent’s concept of life is “ we are poor” and partly because the leadership ideology of growth has been engrafted on a framework of foreign aid and material consumption.
There is a dire need for governments to set in attitude transformation programs as part of their national development strategy on a bottom top- top bottom approach. Without such an attituite, crisis will be another major driving force for illegal migration to Europe. If nothing is done to control and contain the illegal movement of people out of poor countries and no incentives are introduced for those willing to stay and work at home to work, the world risks facing a situation of global insecurity where the tightening of borders, destitution and repulsion produces a further intensity of bitterness and hostility between various races and the possible proliferation of barbaric activities as witnessed in some developed countries today.
The Issue of Leadership Proximity to the African People
The crisis of proximity between the governed and the governors is acute and severe. Governors pontificate issues about the African community, which they know too little about. It is difficult to address/redress what one is too uninformed about. This is the more reason while most of the intended solutions tend to yield little or no results. The issue of leadership proximity has created an enabling environment for corruption to occur and to persist. Naturally corruption does not exist as a matter of policy. Corruption is an evidence of the absence of leadership and judicial proximity. In the event of this weakness individuals can embezzle and misappropriate state resources with impunity.
Too many governments in Africa by their actions manifest a certainty that they are very distant from the realities of their most remote communities. Overloaded with wrong information many African government officials have failed the test of getting off the high horse. In my humble opinion as a grass root worker, the people should be regarded as the true source of all sustainable development and values.
Go to the people
Live among them
Learn form them
Serve them
Plan with them
Start with what they know
Build with what they have.
No leadership can empathize with the people without proximity. For any successful employment of international assistance and cooperation agreement leadership proximity should constitute a major requirement. Proximity will cause leadership to develop a responsive and accountable character towards the people and the international community. This will be a starting point in containing exodus from the continent.
Loosening Reforms
While most governments in Africa continue to manifest reluctance in addressing illegal youth migration, a new authority in advocating, propagating and lobbying has to develop within youth civil society communities and organizations. Youth Civil Society Organizations (YCSO) must be the voice that will provoke governments to loosen reforms to the advantage of the thousands of youth migrants who die yearly trying to flee the desperation and poverty in their home countries. We have invested a lot of our resources and time in organizing conferences and seminars. Now we have to turn our attention to talking with those who hold the power and for those who do not have any power.
We need a visible, local, national, regional and international voice form youth activists and organizations against the illegal migration and abuse of youth migrants by host countries. We have to target the political wheel (elected representatives) and make them turn towards our direction. We have to press for representative statues in places of decision-making and where we cannot, we invite them to our workshops, public hearings or programs to creatively exchange, interchange opinions, commitments and experiences. This will serve as a positive launch pad in cross examining ideas on migration, conflict, disease, hunger, corruption, unemployment, gender and good governance.
By discussing the most intimate issues of youth interest with our elected representatives, we are actually tapping into the political will best suited to find a solution to our problems. Through this kind of political joint effort there is great possibility that our actions and advocacy will lead to tangible results.
Awareness Building and Empowerment
For the youth front on youth migration to be strong, we must communicate our opinions, strategies and actions in a very wide, logical and clear way. We have to first of all identify what we need as instruments for an accurate communication of our ideas on the subject. A Global Youth Coalition on Migration (GYCOM) should be set up for effective large scale, monitoring, reporting and organization of youths by youth on migration. The kind of coalition that can make a consistent difference to public policy, and affect a large population of youths.
GYCOM can play an important role in the following ways but not limited to:
Peoples' Involvement
To incorporate youths in the program of the coalition as active monitors, reporters and trainers on trafficking, migrant abuse and other elements of importance to the youth community. The peoples' movement can be ensured via the establishment of youth monitoring bodies, involvement of professional legal bodies, organizations, surveys and the setting up of educational programs (call in radio shows etc).
Operating a GYCOM News glance
The news glance could serve as a valuable instrument in informing and exposing the community to local, domestic, national and international illegal human trafficking centers, abuse cases, illegal repulsion and other activities contrary to the sustainable well-being of youths.
Immunity to Youth Informants
Youths who inform and give evidence to the coalition should be guaranteed protection. Not living out the right to information and access to relevant documents on youth migration related policies. This will enable GYCOM to be sufficiently empowered with information related to migration. For the activities of the coalition to be realized, international donor institutions have an active role to play in providing resources that will assist in mobilizing youths on varied programs of the coalition.
Mobilization of Resources of Migration (Remittances)
The international Organization on Migration (IOM) reported that remittance from emigrants to their families amount to a substantial percentage of imports: 33.5 % for Bangladesh, 11.7% for Cape Verde, 83% for Eritrea and 67% for Yemen. In addition, immigrants from the least developed countries send more money home than these countries receive in development aid. If home countries were to harness the financial and human resources of their diaspora they would offer home grown solutions to the developing dilemmas facing the poor nations.
The primary way of attracting diaspora to become an important development partner would be an agreed-upon consensus by the migrant’s country of origin and the host country on the adjustment of immigration policies to regulate the stay of migrants from poor countries. African governments can encourage this initiative through a profound willingness to meet up with the restructuring and reformation of their governance and legal structures. In this way they would be able to win commitment from developed countries to regulate their immigration policies.
Another alternative is for the IOM to press for the reduction of remittance fees in order for resources from the diaspora to fully benefit local population. Remittance tends to have a good down stream effect on the population than foreign aid. In Cameroon, close to 70% of remittances are used by the local population for infrastructure development. A good number of clinics, university students’ hostels, pipe borne water projects and farm to market roads were constructed with resources form the diaspora. The most impressive aspect is the consultative approach which is used in planning this development - most of these youths had assembled in their adopted countries to plan how their collective remittances could be invested in their countries of origin, usually in consultation with the elders and the local community.
Draw Backs
Physically a good number of professional migrants refuse to return to their original countries after their educational training or successful integration. The IOM program to reverse the brain drain is stifled by such unwillingness. A possible innovation to this program could be involvement of African professional skills in the charity sector to serve as volunteers. This will mean that they would be allowed to go back and forth without losing their rights.
Rethinking Trade Negotiations
Trade negotiations have significant effects on the volume of employment and development. Unfavorable trade negotiations disadvantage investment and development in poor countries by paying little for primary products that make up a high percentage of their exports. Local businesses and hence employment is seriously affected by international price regulations and local government fiscal policies. Investment is another window through which technical and financial assistance can be tapped from the diaspora to create employment for African youths at home. International trade negotiations have serious implications on the volume of that investment.
There is therefore a need for governments to agree on the setting up of favorable trade negotiations with poor countries not only as a way of fighting illegal migration but also enabling them meet up with the actual production of capital goods. By doing so they would be setting the stage for heightened economic activities that would create numerous social opportunities. As part of a cooperative strategy to reduce illegal migration and hence insecurity, preferential pricing could also be placed on Africa exports.
Successful Integration of Local Youth Potentials
All efforts to reduce illegal youth migration should be centered on the successful integration of present local youth development potentials into the social and economic systems of their respective societies. The kind of self-reliance development concept propagated by most governments in Africa today (do not ask what the government has done for you, ask yourself what you have done to help yourself and the government) is an illusion for any successful integration of youths into the society. This is owing to inconsiderable taxation on youth entrepreneurial initiatives like small holders schemes and other sole proprietor enterprises. Increased corruption, nepotism and embezzlement are added factors to the already existing burden on youths who wish to engage in small business ventures as a means of survival and social integration. Faced with these obstacles they take the alternative of illegal migration to more advanced countries.
Partnership and Cooperation
To conclude, it will be worthwhile for the diaspora to establish successful partnership and cooperation links with their communities back at home. By maintaining this strong relationship it will be possible for the diaspora to play a key role in the fight against poverty and underdevelopment in Africa. For such a cooperative development to constitute an important component of a national youth development strategy their home governments must cooperate; to make it work, host nations must participate. As a commitment to assist poor countries meet the MDGs target by 2015 host countries should allow not only professionals but also all willing migrants to go back and forth to their original countries without possibly of loosing their rights and legal status.
Nevertheless we all have a contribution to make even at the most basic level, at least by propagating and advocating for the rights of youth migrants, we are in one way or the other making a contribution for the comfortable settlement of displaced and economically disadvantaged persons.
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