Galloping demographics, in addition to extreme poverty caused by wars, armed conflicts, poor governance and poor management and distribution of fruits generated by the exploitation of natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa in particular, are the main causes which justify illegal migratory flows towards the European continent, which would be, for those who choose to brave the ordeal of the desert and the sea, an environment more likely to allow them to have a decent existence.
States are willing to welcome refugees, but are not all ready to take on excessive numbers. Divergent points of view confront each other while trying as best they can to unanimously find European solutions which would make it possible to resolve these multiple problems which are mostly consequences of the failure of governance policies in several countries partners whose populations come to seek refuge in what they consider to be reference countries in terms of care and respect for the fundamental rights of individuals despite the fact that these arbitrary arrivals are additional concerns which are added in the busy agenda of developed countries.
The migration crisis: a constant and growing concern
The week of September 11, 2023 was characterized by an unprecedented event. In the space of just a few days, almost 10,000 migrants have landed illicitly in Europe and more precisely on the island of Ampedusa located in the south of Italy (source: actu.fr). Sixteen days later, and more precisely on October 3, 2023, thousands of Venezuelans arrived in Ciudad Juarez, on the border between Mexico and the United States, perched on a freight train after around ten days of trips in the hope of reaching American territory (source: rtbf.be).
For those who choose to migrate illegally, national or international immigration standards are of no importance. All that counts is arriving at your destination after having braved difficulties that extend over thousands of kilometres. Taking into account the overseas territories located in South America, Africa and Asia, Europe alone has 71,928.9 km of coastline (source: wikipedia.org), Australia has of 37,000 km, the United States 19,924 km (source: wikipedia.org), and Canada 243,042 (source: statcan.gc.ca). Penetrations can come from anywhere. The determination of developed countries to do everything possible to prevent all illicit penetration fails in the face of the determination of those who are ready to die to achieve their goal. The United Nations Refugee Organization (UNHCR) estimates at 2,500 the number of people lost or having lost their lives at sea during the year 2023; the situation is so chaotic that it requires drastic solutions.
Also read : Illegal immigration : the quest for a dream lost in an uncertain future.
One want to ease the ordeal of those who had the courage, not to say the madness, to brave the dangers of the desert, the sea, or the dense forest to find themselves in Europe or North America by at least assuring them a daily food ration, but one do not feel able to regularize the situation of thousands of asylum seekers who find themselves obliged to live in Europe, the United States and elsewhere as they came, that is to say clandestinely, or to unfortunately return to their country of origin. A second option which could be beneficial if satisfactory conditions were sufficiently implemented in the countries of origin of these people seeking a better future elsewhere.
The increase in migratory flows in recent months does not bode well. If additional practical measures are not implemented to remedy this global problem, the situation risks getting further bogged down. Based on official estimates relayed by certain media and provided by the UNHCR and certain relief NGOs, we estimate the number of illegal arrivals on the Italian coast between 1997 and 2007 at 204,406; 509,806 between 2007 and 2015; and finally 635,000 between 2015 and 2022.
Some believe that to effectively resolve this problem it would be necessary to grant the main countries of origin of these people in irregular situations, additional financial resources so that they contribute more to reducing this disastrous phenomenon by strengthening the control of comings and goings at their respective land and maritime borders. Such an option should scrupulously take into account the reasons which motivate these phenomena. If it is a problem of bad governance, how to contribute resolving the problem without violating the sovereignty of the States in question? If it is a civil or armed war, how can we take care of those who have come to seek refuge elsewhere? If it is a lack of human and financial resources, how can we be sure that those who will manage such a project will not create other business opportunities around this global concern? Do the real masterminds of the mafia networks of illegal immigration not benefit from the advantages offered to them by societies plagued by corruption? If the money factor is essential, it must not make us lose sight of the fact that the complexity of the problem also requires time. The first results of the immediate financial aid of 150 million euros or 502,425,900 Tunisian Dinars granted by the European Union to the Tunisian State are unsatisfactory. Illegal migration to Europe continues to grow. Africans States in particular must make additional efforts.
The migration problem in Africa: between indifference and failure of national and interstate policies
The determination of those who choose to flee the poverty or insecurity that reigns in their country of origin is constantly tested during a perilous and alarmist journey, by inhumane practices that trivialize the physical integrity of others. The contempt with which nationals of a friendly Territory are treated during their journey is the direct consequence of superficial regional cooperation characterized by a lack of consultation between the main African Territories concerned in order to find a solution to a common problem. The failure of African Territories on migration issues as on several others results in a lack of consideration towards their own nationals. The inability to respond to the problems of the populations results in an abandonment of those who choose to take the path of the desert and the sea to their own fate, while hoping, as specified in international treaties for the defence of human rights, that they will arrive in good health where they wish, that they will be welcomed there and will benefit at least from treatment as favourable as that granted to nationals with regard to the exercise of fundamental rights such as freedom of association and religion, the right to primary education, public assistance, access to the courts, the right to property and housing.
The indifference of African heads of State clearly shows that we are in the middle of a pitiful game of adventure which consists of leaving a State which has difficulty responding adequately to the multiple problems raised by the populations, to another more able to answer it. This is the reason why during his stay in France and more precisely in Marseille (South-East of France), Pope Francis himself called to “welcome, protect and integrate” migrants (source: bfmtv.com). He declared this because he knows full well that all these people come mainly from poor and disaster-stricken Territories which are mostly headed by leaders who have shown themselves incapable of responding to the demands which continue to grow massively.
A continent renowned for being one of the points of origin of arbitrary arrivals in Europe will always have the highest number of visa refusals even for honourable causes. The proof is the last World Youth Days which were held in Portugal from August 1 to 6, 2023 with insignificant African delegations. The migration crisis has increased the impact of tougher policies on obtaining visas for nationals from Sub-Saharan Africa. Granting visas without restrictions is run the risk of seeing individuals arriving who no longer want to make the return trip. If developed countries need to be more lenient towards those who seek refuge there, it would be even better if the countries of origin of these thousands of men and women also showed more seriousness in controlling their borders.
Africa's challenges in reducing illegal migratory flows
The challenges of the migration crisis from Africa to Europe are immense and cannot be resolved without firm measures that respect the rules established in a concerted manner at the African level among Africans. How one can succeed in reducing the rate of illegal immigration to Europe when one have difficulty to guarantee safe, orderly and dignified migration in Africa? although the Migration Policy Framework for Africa and its Action Plan (2018 -2030) which is the result of an inclusive and participatory process aimed at enabling Member States to formulate and implement their own migration policies depending on their priorities and their resources implicitly puts the financing factor forward to justify an incapacity, the resolution of illegal mass exoduses is first and foremost the consequence of a lack of political will.
If European States find themselves in difficulty because of the inability of African leaders to respond favourably to the needs generated by an ever-expanding population, beyond the importance that this population could represent for an aging population, it would be wise to persist in the implementation of concerted migration policies in order to further reduce the scale of illegal migration phenomena at the local level.
The priority for an African State currently is to fight against the brain drain which has considerable effects on national economies. Africa needs to industrialize further. It needs more job opportunities, including for people without qualifications, in addition to adequate training in reference establishments. By working together and in a reasoned manner with developed countries and Africans in the diaspora, Africa will certainly succeed in deterring a good number of people from attempting the European adventure illegally.
Immigration problems can be resolved directly in Africa without, however, intensifying in Europe, only if Africans take more seriousness in the management of a global crisis characterized on a local scale by fraudulent practices known to all and favourable to a climate of stagnation in poverty and underdevelopment. Finally, legal immigration channels must be expanded to allow those who want to go abroad to settle there properly, without harming the internal policy of their host country.
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