The relationship between migration and development is complex. While rich regions tend to attract immigrants, the poorest regions are not those with the highest emigration. Indeed, individuals need to own a certain degree of resources to finance international migration and a certain level of... Read more
Risk-taking is inherent to migration. Leaving one’s home has inevitably something of venturing into unknown territory. The home one leaves can be inhospitable, yet it is a familiar place. A host country can seem a heaven from afar, yet a newcomer with no full citizenship rights may find it a hard... Read more
West and North Africa comprise in total 10.4 million immigrants and 21.8 million emigrants, representing respectively 1.6 per cent and 3.4 per cent of their 633.2 million inhabitants in 2019, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs estimates. This overall level of... Read more
In just a few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the global migration and mobility landscape, and added a layer of complexity to migration in West and North Africa and across the Mediterranean. This rapidly spreading health crisis (Figure 1) has led to the implementation of... Read more
In the years 2014–2016, when arrivals of undocumented migrants and refugees arriving by sea to Europe surged to unprecedented numbers, a map of the north-west quarter of Africa made an appearance in European media. The map showed several lines,or arrows, spanning the Gulf of Guinea to the... Read more
This chapter explores a range of factors shaping attitudes towards immigrants in 18 countries in West and North Africa based on results from the Gallup World Poll survey. In particular, it looks at the relationship between public opinion on immigration and (a) individuals’ perceptions of their... Read more
This chapter discusses the diffusion of external voting in North and West Africa since the early 1990s, and diaspora participation in elections in countries of origin. It starts by examining the idea that the spread of external voting is attributable solely to the emergence of diaspora policies and... Read more
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its Member States are increasingly adopting policies and measures aiming at maximizing possible benefits of migration for development. This chapter analyses how ECOWAS Member States engage with their diasporas. It draws on an analysis of... Read more
This chapter explores the initial impacts of the microbusiness management training offered by IOM to migrants in transit back to their countries through the Niger. Due to the increased number of migrants expelled from Algeria to the Niger since 2018, there has been a significant increase in the... Read more
This chapter investigates the role of climate and environmental factors in driving migration in countries on the Central Mediterranean Route. It uses a literature review to frame the complexity of these linkages, including how climate influences conflict and how conflict drives migration. Land... Read more
This chapter provides an overview of health data among migrants on the Central Mediterranean Route, using a case-based approach. It outlines how data are currently collected and what are the strengths and weaknesses of these health information systems. Examples from Libya, Italy, Germany, the... Read more
This chapter describes the migration journey of Ivorian female returnees assisted by IOM, from the time they start preparing for the trip until their return to Côte d’Ivoire. It draws on a participatory study conducted in 2018 and 2019 in Côte d´Ivoire, during which a mixed qualitative and... Read more
