[This is the version of this document from 23 November 2006.]
The Pan-African Parliament,WHEREAS migration issues are a fast-rising international priority for the African continent with forced migration continuing to be a serious, protracted and visibly an expanding problem across Africa resulting into an estimated 3.25 million African refugees and asylum seekers;AND WHEREAS war, conflict, civil strife and poverty have been identified as some of the political, economic, cultural, religious and natural factors behind migration;ACKNOWLEDGING THAT migration issues range from the refugee crisis, migrant remittances, movement of labour, the African Diaspora and brain drain, feminisation of migration, xenophobia to human trafficking;BEARING IN MIND THAT migration has also affected, positively and negatively, the welfare of the States of origin as well as the receiving States and if monitored could become a powerful tool for cooperation within the African continent and beyond;COGNISANT of the fact those African migrants endure inhuman treatment;NOTING the urgent need to address migration issues at continental level as African countries have not yet fully prioritised the migration issue in their national policy, at regional or continental level;AWARE THAT the African Union has developed a Strategic Framework for a Policy on Migration in Africa that calls for Member States to address the challenges posed by migration;FURTHER AWARE THAT the Permanent Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration matters has the mandate to consider policy matters concerning migration matters at cross-border, regional and continental level;NOW THEREFORE the Pan-African Parliament recommends that:1.That all governments should address the factors that affect migration patterns by:(i).ensuring, that all countries observe and adhere to sound principles and democracy and practise good governance;(ii).ascertaining all governments address the challenges of human security and development;(iii).promoting investment throughout the continent in order to achieve rapid growth of economies and infrastructures and to create employment opportunities;2.The governments consider entering into global agreements to determine the modalities for treatment of migrants such as the creation of databanks in both the sending and recipient States for better management of migrant flows as well as ensuring protection of the basic human rights of migrants.3.The governments adopt mechanisms for handling the migration issues:(i).endorsing the Decade on International Migration and Development 2007-2017, which will provide a platform for dialogue at the institutional and State levels for purposes of strengthening an African regional position.(ii).encouraging harmonisation of national and regional migration legislation, strategies, action plans and policy and develop model legislation to maximise positive and deter negative consequences.(iii).promoting information and education campaigns to raise awareness about the different dimensions, including the gender dimension of migration amongst policymakers.(iv).undertaking capacity building initiatives and measures to strengthen national and regional institutions, including parliaments, capacity to deal with migration management.4.Migration issues are to be included as a regular item on the agenda of the PAP as a priority and there will be increased collaboration with national and regional parliaments to monitor progress and exchange experiences, views and best practices related to migration policies and programmes.
