The African Centre for the Study and Research on Migration (ACSRM) supports African Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to strengthen migration governance and mainstream migration into development policy planning. The ACSRM supports MS and RECs in adopting, implementing, and domesticating international, regional, and continental policy and legal instruments related to migration that are keystone in strengthening migration and governance.
The 21st Century, with its global pressing problems, is more than ever an uncertain period full of challenges, which requires a strong commitment from the international community to address these global concerns. Many scholars and policymakers consider this 21st century as a turbulent migrant time and call for enhanced international efforts to end the tragedy, sufferings, and hardships facing migrants and displaced people all around the world and for a better governance of migration for the benefit of migrants and their families, and the origin and host societies.
Against the backdrop, the African Union has developed various policy instruments to address migration challenges and maximize migration’s development contribution for the benefit of African countries. These include, inter alia:
The revised African Union Migration Policy Framework for Africa and Plan of Action (2018 – 2030)
Organization of African Union Refugee Convention (adopted in 1969) African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention)
- The Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking.
- African Common Position on Migration and Development
- African Union. Agenda 2063 Vision and Priorities
- African Union (2019) Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area
- The African Union passport
- The African Union Free Movement of Persons (FMP) Protocol.
To better capture the contemporary patterns, trends, and dynamics of Africa’s migration, the 2006 Africa Union Migration Policy Framework was revised. The 2018 revised AU MPFA and its Plan of Action (2018-2030) aim to strengthen migration governance to address migration challenges and maximize its development potential. The AU core policy instruments, priorities, the AU Agenda 2063, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and international human rights instruments on migration underpin the revised MPFA. It constitutes a guiding policy instrument for Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) for formulating and implementing migration policies tailored to their needs and specificities.
