President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 24th African Union summit at the AU
headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 30, 2015. PHOTO |
PSCU
ADDIS ABABA
Visa free movement across Africa could greatly reduce migration to Europe, an African Union (AU) official has said.
The
AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Dr Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, said
free movement of Africans within the continent would reduce the number
of migrants risking their lives on dangerous journeys.
“If
you have alternatives within the continent, then you don’t risk your
life with a dangerous journey [out of the continent],” Dr Kaloko said in
Addis Ababa Friday.
“For instance, Rwanda and
Mauritius have registered economic benefits by allowing Africans visa
free movement to their countries. If you move freely within Africa,
trade will also be encouraged,” he told journalists on the sidelines of
the African Heads of State Summit set to open Saturday.
The
commissioner urged member states to follow the examples of Rwanda and
Mauritius and create opportunities for Africans within the continent to
and boost their economies, while reducing the number of those who die
during the risky journeys to Europe.
Dr Kaloko further
noted that the African Union was focusing more on programmes that bring
lasting solutions to the African migration crisis.
“We are not in the business of crisis management concerning migration.
"We are trying to build the future Africa focusing on programmes such as employment and education,” he said.
Reports
show that hundreds of thousands of Africans died while making dangerous
journeys to seek better livelihoods in Europe and other developed
countries.
The United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that last year alone, some 1,500 Africans
died attempting to make the journey from Libya to Europe.
Globally,
more than one million refugees and migrants fled to Europe by sea, many
on board dangerously inadequate vessels run by people smugglers last
year.
UNHCR's latest figures also show that around 1.5 million people had reached Europe across the Mediterranean, mainly to Greece and Italy, in 2015. Of these, 3,735 were missing, believed drowned.
UNHCR's latest figures also show that around 1.5 million people had reached Europe across the Mediterranean, mainly to Greece and Italy, in 2015. Of these, 3,735 were missing, believed drowned.
No comments :
Post a Comment