Africa's Resurgence and International Migration: An Overview

In this issue, geography, market integration and institutions are identified as the fundamental constraints on Africa's future prosperity. It is pointed out that, in line with the recommendations of The Report of the Commission for Africa, African governments and international partners can ameliorate the effects of these constraints through: investing in governance, peace and security; improving the investment climate by articulating and implementing suitable policies; improving the infrastructure; diversifying the economic base; and removing trade and non-trade barriers to intra-African trade as well as Africa's beneficial integration into the global economy. Also in this issue, the point is made that the widening gaps between Africa's economies and those of the industrialized nations contribute to the high levels of migration from Africa to the developed world. It is concluded that the developed nations need to support Africa's resurgence in order to reduce the poverty levels and improve economic growth prospects in Africa thereby reduce the pressure on the developed countries to control the influx of (unwanted) low skilled Africans to their countries, save them the cost and consequences of preventing the surge, and ameliorate other negative externalities associated with such migrants. Supporting Africa's resurgence will ensure that Africa does not lag behind yielding the associated benefit of reduced pressure for skilled and unskilled persons to migrate out of Africa and avoidance of perverse spatial distribution of people; the consequences of which can only be imagined. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.