Immigration from sub-Saharan Africa
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly
debate on 18 April 2008 (18th Sitting) (see Doc. 11526, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and
Population, rapporteur: Mr Jean-Guy Branger). Text
adopted by the Assembly on 18 April 2008 (18th Sitting).
- Thesaurus
1. Africa is the continent most affected
by migration. Allowing for the inaccuracy of the statistics, every
year some 2 to 4 million people migrate legally or illegally from
Sub-Saharan Africa to within or outside Africa. The figure is increasing
in relation to internal migration, which is made more difficult
by the armed conflicts which currently affect 24 African countries,
either directly or indirectly, and the closure of borders by some
of them. At the same time, brain drain, the attractiveness of the
west and the existence in some countries of a large diaspora (pull
factors) are combining with the difficulty in finding properly paid
employment and a feeling that Africa is stuck in an endless crisis
(push factors) to further increase this migration, in spite of the
risks involved for those concerned.
2. Deporting Sub-Saharan migrants is often difficult or impossible
because of their refusal to indicate their real countries of origin,
the lack of readmission agreements when their countries are known,
the efforts of associations defending undocumented migrants to prevent
their being deported by air, or the physical resistance of migrants
who seek to stir up disorder among the other passengers, and even
to damage the aircraft used, with the assistance of people waiting
for them at the airport.
3. These migratory flows increase the numbers of migrants already
settled in the host countries and, combined with the many children
born there, form an increasingly visible community of African origin,
whose size sometimes triggers xenophobic reactions.
4. The motivations of these migrants, whether economic, family-related,
social or political, are extremely varied and are becoming more
so. As states have different legislation, in spite of the gradual
harmonisation of European policies, migrants naturally choose the
countries which will benefit them the most and involve the lowest
risk, particularly of being deported. This “shopping around” is
adding to the shifting nature of migration processes and also contributing
to the feminisation of migration.
5. The Parliamentary Assembly believes that Europe is therefore
facing several challenges in terms of controlling irregular migration
and managing informal economic activity, which existed before the
mass arrival of Sub-Saharan immigrants, but has been boosted by
their presence and which, paradoxically, helps them to integrate
into their host countries. At the same time, Europe may benefit
from the arrival of a younger population likely to reduce the impact
of the unfavourable demographic trends currently affecting it.
6. However, in spite of legislation against racism and discrimination,
European states are not all able to guarantee that all migrants
settling in their countries will be fairly treated in terms of access
to health care, education, decent housing and declared employment
which is adequately paid.
7. The Assembly considers that, bearing in mind the specific
nature of Sub-Saharan migration, and in order to enable every country
to take decisions in full knowledge of the facts, it is vital to
focus on four main strands: accurate knowledge of migratory flows;
dealing with specific migratory movements; gradual harmonisation
of European legislation; aid for Africa and the strengthening of
the ties between host countries and countries of origin.
8. Therefore, the Assembly calls on member states:
8.1 in terms of knowledge and comprehensive
management of migratory flows, to:
8.1.1 set up national and regional migration observatories;
8.1.2 keep local settlement registers so as to monitor the integration
and movements of the migrants in order to take in or assist population
groups often experiencing great difficulty;
8.1.3 make deportation more secure by using closely-supervised
international charter flights, with guarantees of prior judicial
procedures and the establishment of contractual procedures with the
countries agreeing to readmit the persons concerned, while ensuring
respect for their human rights;
8.2 in terms of dealing with specific migratory movements,
to:
8.2.1 offer an alternative to
political asylum for migrants who were not persecuted by the authorities
but by another ethnic group in their country, or by armed groups
operating unlawfully;
8.2.2 organise personalised supervision of migrant students,
in co-operation with their countries of origin and the consulates
or embassies in those countries, so as to smooth the path of academic
success for some and the return home or entry into employment of
others;
8.2.3 adopt binding legislative measures to deal with the migration
of pregnant women and prevent unlawful procedures concerning migration
for the purposes of paternity or adoption;
8.2.4 facilitate cultural migration by issuing appropriate visas;
8.3 in terms of the harmonisation of European legislation,
to:
8.3.1 co-operate in harmonising
legislation on family reunification;
8.3.2 co-operate in harmonising legislation on medical assistance
for irregular migrants;
8.3.3 co-operate in harmonising legislation on learning the
language of the host country;
8.3.4 co-operate in harmonising legislation on admitting the
children of irregular migrants to schools.
9. In order to expand aid to Sub-Saharan Africa and ties between
countries of origin and host countries, the Assembly calls on member
states to:
9.1 develop public awareness
of Africa, particularly through encouraging twinning arrangements,
and facilitate decentralised co-operation projects;
9.2 develop a central register of specialists in the various
African languages who are capable of conversing with nationals of
countries of origin when they have difficulties communicating with
the authorities;
9.3 provide financial incentives for legal remittances to
countries of origin by bearing part of the cost;
9.4 encourage the transfer of know-how by members of diasporas
to their countries of origin by introducing simplified visa procedures
and a system for making up some of the earnings lost by those who
travel for that purpose;
9.5 take the necessary measures with regard to respecting
the religious traditions and cultural practices of immigrants from
Sub-Saharan Africa;
9.6 impose penalties on practices that violate human rights,
such as female circumcision and all forms of genital mutilation;
9.7 establish or strengthen positive discrimination measures
for Sub-Saharan immigrants, in particular in the fields of education,
housing and health;
9.8 mobilise the maximum amount of resources to curb or halt
the pandemics which are crippling growth in the infected regions
of Sub-Saharan Africa.
10. With a view to gradually bringing the procedures applicable
to migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa into line with those for other
migrants, the Assembly reminds member states of the need to comply
with the following provisions that:
10.1 all migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa are provided with
a document specifying their rights and duties;
10.2 they are provided with the services of an interpreter
in their own language;
10.3 conditions in transit and detention centres are made more
humane;
10.4 in such centres, proper differentiation between categories
of migrants is ensured in the processing of flows of migrants and
asylum seekers;
10.5 host countries seek to conclude readmission agreements
and expand assistance for the return home of persons not granted
asylum;
10.6 the countries concerned step up efforts to combat smuggling
networks and impose stricter penalties on them;
10.7 the countries concerned step up controls and impose stricter
penalties on the underground labour market.
