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Migration and Displacement in Sub-Saharan Africa - International conference participants debate in Bonn

February 13, 2009

Just under 200 representatives from research, politics and civil society have taken up an invitation by the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) to participate in an international conference and to discuss in Bonn, from 13 to 14 February 2009, the causes and effects of South-South migration in Africa. The two-day event entitled “Migration and Displacement in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Security–Migration Nexus II” at the Deutsche Welle has been supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Already a year ago, experts debated at a BICC conference on the topic of ‘security and migration’ as well as the challenges and chances of migration from Africa to Europe. This year’s follow-up conference is dedicated to South-South migration. Its focus will lie on forced migration.

“Contrary to the still prevailing idea that a large share of African migrants relocate to Europe or the developed states in the North, research has shown that this is not the case,” Peter J. Croll, Director at BICC, explains. For instance, only 1.5 percent of all people from Sub-Saharan Africa live within the European Union. Over two-thirds of all migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, however, migrate to other countries of the region.

Both German and international experts from research, politics and civil society, amongst them representatives of the relevant ministries, and international and national organizations will discuss the causes of forced migration in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as the humanitarian, social and legal consequences for all those affected.

Amongst the participants of the conference, which kicks off with the initial addresses by Dr. Doris Witteler-Stiepelmann, German Federal Ministry of Development and Cooperation (BMZ), Winfried Mengelkamp, Ministry for Intergenerational Affairs, Family, Women and Integration of the Land North Rhine-Westphalia (MGFFI) and Peter J. Croll, BICC, are representatives from the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States), of UN-organizations such as UNU-EHS (United Nations University) and UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) as well as international humanitarian organizations, like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Participants will discuss the role of forced migrants in complex (post-)conflict settings and situations of need in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as effects resulting from forced migration, resettlement, and return on social, political and economic conditions in the countries of the region.

“Flight and expulsion, particularly as a consequence of armed conflicts, influence the development, stability and security of affected states and give rise to great challenges for action by policymakers on all levels and international humanitarian aid,” stresses Croll.

During the conference, the experts, many of whom come from Sub-Saharan Africa, will additionally discuss concrete instruments and causes of action in migration governance on the regional level. Finally, experiences made and perspectives gained by international organizations and civil society groups will also play an important role.

“As a peace and conflict research organization, BICC would like to discuss the topic of flight and expulsion from a particular perspective, namely that of security. Recipient countries in particular are facing great challenges which neither research nor politics have been able to address adequately so far. This international conference intends to give a new impulse to this discussion,” hopes Croll.

For more information and interview requests, please contact:
Susanne Heinke, Press Spokesperson BICC, phone: +49-(0)228/911 96 44, pr@bicc.de


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