South to South Migration Dialogue and Governance

South-South migration is a pervasive phenomenon in Africa, with approximately 21 million recorded migrants moving within the continent. This figure is likely underestimated, as a significant portion of mobility within Africa remains unrecorded due to limitations in frameworks for tracking migration patterns. Notwithstanding, South-South migration holds immense development potential, particularly in the context of seasonal and circular labor migration. For instance, such migration patterns can help fill labor shortages in destination countries, create job opportunities for migrants, facilitate skills transfer, and generate remittances.

However, South-South migration also poses significant challenges, including increased human rights violations. Countries in the Global South often have limited records of protecting human rights and labor rights, leaving migrants vulnerable to exploitation by employers and host communities. A notable example is the migration of workers from the Horn of Africa to the Gulf states, where migrants often face dire working conditions and human rights abuses.

Furthermore, the management of South-South migration lags behind that of South-North migration. This disparity is concerning, given the scale and complexity of South-South migration in Africa. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung African Migration Policy Centre (FES AMPC) seeks to address these knowledge gaps and challenges, promoting a better understanding of South-South migration patterns and trends, and informing evidence-based policy-making to protect the rights and dignity of migrants.

Our latest Activities

25.09.2025 | EU-Africa Cooperation on Migration, News
PMG

About the PMG

 

Owing to their longstanding historical ties, geographic proximity, and interlinked political, economic, and social interests, Africa…


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28.08.2025 | Migration and Gender, News

The Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), established in 2007, is a voluntary, state-led, multi-stakeholder platform that brings together…


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21.08.2025 | News

In an effort to enhance cooperation between National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) along the Southern Corridor, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s…


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Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
African Migration Policy Center

Yeka Subcity, Woreda 05, Block No.03, House No. 109
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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00251 911200446

info.ampc(at)fes.de 

Meet the team

About us

Publications

Akintola, Lukmon; Angenendt, Steffen

Rethinking return cooperation and conditionality in the context of EU-AU migration relations

Authors: Lukmon Akintola, Steffen Angenendt. - Brussels ; Rome : Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) ; Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung ; Fondazine Socialismo Ets, September 2025. - 11 Seiten = 1,4 MB PDF-File. - (Policy brief
Brussels, 2025

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Akintola, Lukmon; Angenendt, Steffen

Reframing EU-AU migration governance

Bridging divergence through pragmatic collaboration
Brussels, 2025

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