Africa-Gulf Migration, Mobility and Trade

Reliable data and knowledge are fundamental to effective migration governance. For labor migration in particular, better evidence is essential to understand labor market needs, recruitment practices, migrant workers’ experiences and policy outcomes, and to translate international commitments into effective national and regional action. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) places evidence at the center of migration policymaking through Objective 1, recognizing the need for accurate and reliable data to develop evidence-based migration policies. Other frameworks such as the Migration Policy Framework for Africa (2018-2030) and the Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030) also recognize the need for evidence-based policy making based on reliable data and research.

However, despite the longstanding movement of workers between Africa and the Gulf, significant gaps remain in the data and knowledge available on these migration corridors. Available data are often fragmented, while important aspects of labor migration – including recruitment practices, working conditions, employment outcomes and the role of intermediaries – are not consistently documented. These gaps constrain the development of effective, evidence-based labor migration policies and cooperation between countries of origin and destination.

Against this backdrop, the “Africa–Gulf Migration, Mobility and Trade: Past and Present, Policy and Practice” conference brought together over 20 researchers, academics, policymakers and practitioners for a dedicated knowledge-sharing gathering on local, national and regional trends in migration between Africa and the Gulf. The conference featured papers examining migration at both the micro and macro levels, from the factors shaping individuals’ decisions to migrate to the Gulf to broader trends defining relations between countries of origin and destination. Other interventions explored lessons and good practices from other major migration corridors, including South-East Asia. The conference also provided an opportunity for participants to learn more about the upcoming Doha Dialogue, with the ILO outlining the dialogue platform and participants discussing potential entry points for engagement.

FES AMPC recognizes the importance of drawing greater attention to migration corridors that remain under-researched and under-represented in policy discussions. It will continue to work with its partners to strengthen knowledge, research and dialogue on these routes and support greater attention to their policy and governance implications. FES AMPC thanks its partners the Gulf Labour Markets, Migration and Population (GLLM), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the African Migration and Development Center (AMADPOC), Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO) and the University of Cape Town for the collaboration in making this conference possible.