Migration, Mobility and Modern Slavery in Africa

Today, there are several free movement pacts and protocols signed by some of the blocs in Africa (although some are yet to be implemented). These agreements are signed under the auspices of blocs within the continent such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Southern African Development Community, Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, East African Community, the Economic Community of Central African States. From the aforementioned sub-regional organizations, the free movement protocol of the ECOWAS is the most visibly implemented and the comeuppance of its implementation attests to a political recognition that mobility is essential for regional economic integration and development.

However, the easing of migration and mobility in different parts of Africa has in the same breath helped in the facilitation of transnational criminal activities and has created a trellis for different nuances of modern slavery in Africa to flourish. The tentacles of this hydra of modern slavery include sex trade, forced labour, and child slave labour, whom are all launched perfectly by way of human trafficking, leveraging on these areas of free movement.

Trans-Mediterranean human trafficking has become very rife in recent decades and the quest to curb it has been marred by complexities and difficulties. These difficulties are largely engendered by the legalization of free movement across different parts of Africa (especially West and North Africa) coupled with the dictates of the Schengen Agreement which has made it easier to move freely in a substantial part of Europe.  Although modern slavery is common in different continents of the world, it is endemic in Africa, especially in West and North Africa. The root cause of this problem is not unconnected with the prevalence of poverty, corruption, amongst others, in the region. These problems are exacerbated by tensions and insurrection, which have led to the internal displacement of people. The quest for survival in the midst of these socio-political and economic crises have engendered high migration from one African state to another; and from one African region to another; and from Africa to other continents. It is as a result of the desire to leave Africa in search of greener pastures in other parts of the world that people become prey in the hands of traffickers who capitalize on people’s ambitions to subject them to acts of slavery.

As briefly highlighted earlier, it is clear that the scope of the topic in view encompasses a wide array of analytical issues which without proper elucidation will make it cumbersome to forge a connection. Therefore, in order to enhance clarity, an overview of the major terms that frame up the topic in view have been dwelled upon as contained below...