E.g., 01/21/2021
E.g., 01/21/2021

Africa (sub-Saharan)

Africa (sub-Saharan)

Sub-Saharan Africans migrate to North Africa, Europe, North America, and beyond. The research offered here focuses generally on two aspects of sub-Saharan migration: the outcomes for these migrants and their children once they have settled in their countries of destination, the United States among them, and the roles that diasporas and development policies can play in the economic improvement of these African nations.

Riders on a bus in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Articles

Africa Moves Towards Intracontinental Free Movement for Its Booming Population

While intraregional migration is a pillar of the African Union's focus on enhancing regional integration and economic development, visa-free travel or visas upon arrival are a reality for only about half of the countries on the continent. Progress towards free movement for Africans has occurred mostly at a subregional level, as this article explores.

2018 African Union Ministerial Conference on Migration
Articles

Africa Deepens its Approach to Migration Governance, But Are Policies Translating to Action?

While migration once was a lower-priority topic for African governments, the last decade has seen a deepening in governance. Policymakers have integrated migration into their national development strategies and mainstreamed it across policy domains such as health and education. The actions are promising on paper, yet questions remain about the extent to which they will translate to more effective migration management.

Three Congolese migrants walking
Articles

A Growing Destination for Sub-Saharan Africans, Morocco Wrestles with Immigrant Integration

Long a country of emigration and a springboard for migrants aiming to reach Europe, Morocco has emerged as a destination for many sub-Saharan Africans. As more migrants remain in Morocco, the kingdom has implemented policies to aid with integration. But challenges remain, with most of the estimated 700,000 sub-Saharan Africans living in precarious conditions and irregular status despite some legalization programs.

Recent Activity

Articles
June 29, 2011
Potential into Practice: The Ethiopian Diaspora Volunteer Program
By Tedla Giorgis, Aaron Terrazas
Reports
June 2011
New Streams: Black African Migration to the United States
By  Randy Capps, Kristen McCabe and Michael Fix
Multimedia
November 30, 2010
Diasporas: New Partners in Global Development Policy
Reports
November 2010
Voice After Exit: Diaspora Advocacy
By  Kathleen Newland
Books
November 2010
Diasporas: New Partners in Global Development Policy
Reports
October 2010
Mobilizing Diaspora Entrepreneurship for Development
By  Kathleen Newland
Reports
September 2010
Diaspora Philanthropy: Private Giving and Public Policy
By  Kathleen Newland, Aaron Terrazas and Roberto Munster
Reports
September 2010
Heritage Tourism and Nostalgia Trade: A Diaspora Niche in the Development Landscape
By  Kathleen Newland and Carylanna Taylor

Pages

Top Ten
December 1, 2009
Some Relief for Immigrants in the Developing World

South Africa, Brazil, and Costa Rica—all destinations for migrants from the region—sought to make the lives of immigrants a little better in 2009.

Feature
August 6, 2008
China and Africa: Stronger Economic Ties Mean More Migration

Along with increased trade and Chinese investment in Africa has come new migration between the two regions. Malia Politzer places this movement in context and looks at the types of Chinese migrants going to Africa and the Africans going to China.

Profile
July 28, 2008
South Africa: Policy in the Face of Xenophobia
South Africa is struggling to define a post-apartheid migration policy that is responsive to its changing role in Africa, the relationship between migration and development, and the country's rampant xenophobia, seen most graphically in May 2008. Jonathan Crush of the Southern African Migration Project reports on the latest developments.
Top Ten
December 1, 2006
Darfur Situation Worsens, Violence Spreads to Chad

Since 2003, at least 200,000 people by UN estimates have been killed in Sudan's Darfur region, and more than two million have been displaced. Unfortunately, 2006 brought the crisis to new depths as the ethnic violence continued and spread into neighboring Chad. The number of refugees and internally displaced has grown, heightening concerns about destabilization in Chad and the Central African Republic.

Profile
May 1, 2006
Burkina Faso: Testing the Tradition of Circular Migration
One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina Faso is a former French colony in Western Africa that has traditionally sent thousands of seasonal migrants to Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Brad Kress of the UK’s Centre for Research into Economic and Social Trends examines the migration issues facing the country today.

Pages

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Recent Activity

Articles
June 29, 2011

Potential into Practice: The Ethiopian Diaspora Volunteer Program

Development practitioners have long been aware of the change-making potential of diasporas, but only recently have begun to design programs that convert their latent talent and enthusiasm into results. This article by Tedla W. Giorgis and Aaron Terrazas examines the Ethiopian Diaspora Volunteer Program (EDVP) as a powerful example of how diasporas, donors, and developing countries work together to build from individual strengths and address common challenges facing the developing world.

Reports
June 2011

New Streams: Black African Migration to the United States

This report explores the migration patterns and demographics of Black African immigrants in the United States, examining their admission channels, human-capital characteristics, and labor market performance. The authors also provide an analysis of these immigrants' integration prospects.

Video
November 30, 2010

Diasporas: New Partners in Global Development Policy

Over the past year, MPI has partnered with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to examine how diasporas contribute to – or detract from - development efforts in their countries of origin. MPI and USAID have published an edited volume of the research. Please join us for the release of the book where speakers will discuss new thinking on the role of diaspora engagement in U.S. foreign and development policy.
Books
November, 2010

Diasporas: New Partners in Global Development Policy

This edited volume examines the development impact of diasporas in six critical areas: entrepreneurship, capital markets, "nostalgia" trade and "heritage" tourism, philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy.

Reports
November 2010

Voice After Exit: Diaspora Advocacy

This report provides an overview of diaspora advocacy by looking at five issues: who participates in diaspora advocacy, who or what are the “targets” in these efforts, what means are used to advance these causes, what are the issues on which they focus, and the effectiveness of the efforts.

Reports
October 2010

Mobilizing Diaspora Entrepreneurship for Development

This report examines the diaspora entrepreneurs who are often motivated to contribute to job creation and economic growth in their native lands, and offers some key findings and policy options.

Reports
September 2010

Heritage Tourism and Nostalgia Trade: A Diaspora Niche in the Development Landscape

This report explores how nostalgia trade and heritage tourism can involve diaspora populations in transactions that ease the integration of their homeland economies, while helping maintain their ties to their countries of origin or ancestry.

Reports
September 2010

Diaspora Philanthropy: Private Giving and Public Policy

This report analyzes the evolving role of diaspora philanthropy in countries of origin, and examines the emergence of nongovernmental development actors and new trends in global philanthropy, such as strategic giving and use of online platforms to harness small donations.

Pages