.
The lack of economic opportunities on the African continent coupled with increasing instability caused by conflicts has forced scores of migrants to attempt the devastatingly dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. The conflict in Libya, which resulted in the destabilization of law and order and the rise of the Islamic State (also known as ISIS), has been a huge factor in this push. Similarly, conflicts all across the Middle East, specifically in Syria and Yemen, have also resulted in a large number of displaced people. These displaced individuals flee their war torn countries in a desperate attempt to find safety.
State responses to this situation have been swift, but they are not rushing to provide solutions. Meanwhile, citizens are up in arms over the number of migrants who have already landed and now dispersed throughout the EU. Anti-migrant sentiments have risen all across Europe, with far right groups rapidly gaining support in states such as Italy, Greece, and Germany. This is not a surprising response given the poor economic condition of some of these EU states; the rise of migrants is feared to exacerbate the already high unemployment rate.
European countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Italy and Greece, have had to bear the brunt of the burden: deploying their resources to assist in the rescue effort of those fleeing conflict. However, the EU parliament is slow in developing a comprehensive solution to the migrant issue. Instead, individual states have been left to deal with the increasing number of migrants attempting the journey. The solutions that the EU is considering are all temporary solutions aimed at relieving the immediate pressures and problems related to this crisis.
The EU is looking at providing upwards of 50 million dollars to a resettling program for migrants already on the European continent and another program that would provide healthcare resources for those states facing immediate pressure.
Like most international crises, there are no easy solutions that can be rolled out. This is something that organizations, like Amnesty International, must remember. Amnesty International conducted demonstrations chastising politicians (one example in the UK) for not doing enough to resolve the issue, but failed to understand the grandness of this situation. This is a continent and region plagued by political instability, general volatility, and a lack of economic opportunity. Any proposed solution must address these core-underlying issues if it has any hope of succeeding. Simply demanding more effort or throwing money at the situation will do nothing. That is not to say that their awareness campaigns are not justified and helpful.
States and regional organizations need to recognize their responsibility and role. The African Union must take a stronger position on this migration of people, pushing and assisting states where needed in order to solve the issue at its core. Rather than expecting the EU to bear the brunt of the costs, partners should work together to solve the intrinsic issues of the continent. On this vein, states like China, who are already investing billions of U.S. dollars in areas of agriculture and development, should now earmark funds with the condition of domestic advancement.
Political stability is one of many crucial columns for overall stability in the region and the eventual end of the African migrant crisis. The UN needs to take a larger role in facilitating the transfer of power between political regimes in Africa, a transition that remains particularly relevant given the recent coup in Burundi. Furthermore, the United States should take a strong role in curbing the rise of ISIS and particularly focus on Libya. The ousting of Gadhafi laid the groundwork for ISIS to cement a foothold and further added to the chaos.
With no end to this crisis in sight, it is all the more important that actors work closely together as much as possible. They all have a role to play and can accomplish much more by cooperating than by operating separate efforts.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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African Migrant Crisis
June 26, 2015
The lack of economic opportunities on the African continent coupled with increasing instability caused by conflicts has forced scores of migrants to attempt the devastatingly dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. The conflict in Libya, which resulted in the destabilization of law and order and the rise of the Islamic State (also known as ISIS), has been a huge factor in this push. Similarly, conflicts all across the Middle East, specifically in Syria and Yemen, have also resulted in a large number of displaced people. These displaced individuals flee their war torn countries in a desperate attempt to find safety.
State responses to this situation have been swift, but they are not rushing to provide solutions. Meanwhile, citizens are up in arms over the number of migrants who have already landed and now dispersed throughout the EU. Anti-migrant sentiments have risen all across Europe, with far right groups rapidly gaining support in states such as Italy, Greece, and Germany. This is not a surprising response given the poor economic condition of some of these EU states; the rise of migrants is feared to exacerbate the already high unemployment rate.
European countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Italy and Greece, have had to bear the brunt of the burden: deploying their resources to assist in the rescue effort of those fleeing conflict. However, the EU parliament is slow in developing a comprehensive solution to the migrant issue. Instead, individual states have been left to deal with the increasing number of migrants attempting the journey. The solutions that the EU is considering are all temporary solutions aimed at relieving the immediate pressures and problems related to this crisis.
The EU is looking at providing upwards of 50 million dollars to a resettling program for migrants already on the European continent and another program that would provide healthcare resources for those states facing immediate pressure.
Like most international crises, there are no easy solutions that can be rolled out. This is something that organizations, like Amnesty International, must remember. Amnesty International conducted demonstrations chastising politicians (one example in the UK) for not doing enough to resolve the issue, but failed to understand the grandness of this situation. This is a continent and region plagued by political instability, general volatility, and a lack of economic opportunity. Any proposed solution must address these core-underlying issues if it has any hope of succeeding. Simply demanding more effort or throwing money at the situation will do nothing. That is not to say that their awareness campaigns are not justified and helpful.
States and regional organizations need to recognize their responsibility and role. The African Union must take a stronger position on this migration of people, pushing and assisting states where needed in order to solve the issue at its core. Rather than expecting the EU to bear the brunt of the costs, partners should work together to solve the intrinsic issues of the continent. On this vein, states like China, who are already investing billions of U.S. dollars in areas of agriculture and development, should now earmark funds with the condition of domestic advancement.
Political stability is one of many crucial columns for overall stability in the region and the eventual end of the African migrant crisis. The UN needs to take a larger role in facilitating the transfer of power between political regimes in Africa, a transition that remains particularly relevant given the recent coup in Burundi. Furthermore, the United States should take a strong role in curbing the rise of ISIS and particularly focus on Libya. The ousting of Gadhafi laid the groundwork for ISIS to cement a foothold and further added to the chaos.
With no end to this crisis in sight, it is all the more important that actors work closely together as much as possible. They all have a role to play and can accomplish much more by cooperating than by operating separate efforts.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
