Mali migrants seek better life in Africa rather than Europe Data shows Malians migration trend in past 10 years is to neighbouring countries, with fewer entering Europe• View the data West African migrants appear increasingly to be seeking opportunities in emerging economies on the continent, rather than attempting to cross to Europe, according to scrutiny of 10 years of data covering expelled Malians. The data compilation – from a country with one of the most widely travelled populations in Africa – also corrects the misconception that large numbers of illegal migrants are being expelled from Europe. Ibrahima Sylla, who compiled the figures for the ministry of overseas Malians, said the study could be taken as a useful indication of migration trends in the entire region. It has become increasingly clear that the allure of emerging economies in the south – especially Angola and Equatorial Guinea – has had at least as much impact as the European trend to close the door on African migrants, he said. Of the 89,134 Malians repatriated, by force and voluntarily between 2002 and 2013, more than 90% (81,755) were sent back by neighbouring countries. The vast majority (42,118) were expelled from Ivory Coast, which lies to the south of Mali. Four countries to the north that offer economic opportunities and are also seen as gateways to Europe – Libya, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia – accounted for 38,068 returns between them. In that period, 12 European countries expelled 5,947 Malians. Political upheavals in the region have a bearing on expulsions. In 2013, neighbouring countries such as Ivory Coast, Algeria and Mauritania did not expel any Malians – possibly as a humane gesture in response to the war in northern Mali. However, European countries did not reduce their expulsions of Malians. In 2013 76 Malians were sent back including 41 from France, 16 from Spain, nine from Portugal and two from the UK. Xenophobic fallout in the wake of the downfall of Colonel Gaddafi resulted in more than 23,000 Malians being expelled from Libya between 2011 and 2013. Sylla is the chief civil servant at the ministry, which was established in 2004 in response to the fact that more than a quarter of Malis 15.8 million nationals live outside the country. We exist to assist those four million Malians, to put their grievances to host countries and to work on increasing the skill levels of young men who might be tempted to leave, in the hopes that they will stay behind or, at least, leave Mali with a diploma in a marketable skill. With donor support, we also assist expelled Malians returning to the country, he said. Sylla has just left Mali on a five-nation tour – Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Congo and Angola – to visit the diaspora. He is travelling with the minister for overseas Malians, Abdramane Sylla, who last month chartered four planes with the International Organisation for Migration to repatriate more than 1,100 Malians from the Central African Republic. Migration is a cultural phenomenon in Mali, especially in the Soninke ethnic group. Ibrahima Sylla said: I am Soninke and I can tell you that in western Mali, in the Kayes region, it is seen as shameful for a young man to be alone in his age group to remain in the village. You must travel. The tradition is ancient but it clearly comes from the fact that we are a poor country with climatic challenges where wealth and development are seen as inevitably coming from the outside. The ministry says it is difficult to put an exact value on migrants contribution to Malis economy because they send money to their relatives through a variety of informal means. However, it estimates that remittances from the diaspora – put at $12bn (£7bn) per year – rival overall GDP, which in 2011 was $10.7bn. Syllas data compilation is aimed at informing Malis government and international donors of migration trends to enable them to better tailor policies and spending to addressing the countrys economic needs. It does not include refugees who fled Mali as a result of the Islamist occupation of the north of the country in 2012. Migration Mali Africa Alex Duval Smith theguardian © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Posted on: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:59:02 +0000