African countries acknowledge the importance of migration for regional integration, development and livelihoods, and govern it through various international, continental, regional and national frameworks. Existing legal instruments underscore the importance of the rule of law and human rights. However, there are gaps in implementation. Aligning countries’ varied approaches is crucial to improving African migration governance and in particular, the free movement of people.

About the authors

Ottilia Anna Maunganidze is the Head of Special Projects at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and manages the ISS migration project. Her background is in international law and strategy development.

Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo is an ISS Senior Research Consultant. She is a migration expert covering various intersecting issues, including climate change, gender, refugee rights, violent extremism and citizenship.