Every year on December 18, the world marks the International Migrants Day.
The day was appointed by the UN General Assembly on December 4, 2000 after they took into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.
This day is observed in many countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations through the dissemination of information on human rights and fundamental political freedoms of migrants, and through sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure the protection of migrants.
This year, under the theme: Safe Migration in a World on the Move, the United Nations has called on the world to come together to protect all migrants wherever they are – in countries of origin, transit or destination.
In a statement to mark the day, the UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres said,” Migration has always been with us. Climate change, demographics, instability, growing inequalities, and aspirations for a better life, as well as unmet needs in labour markets, mean it is here to stay. The answer is effective international cooperation in managing migration to ensure that its benefits are most widely distributed, and that the human rights of all concerned are properly protected.”
Hundreds of thousands of migrants have attempted to cross the Mediterranean to Europe since 2014 and 3,091 have died en route this year alone, many after passing through Libya.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has called on countries in the continent to reconstruct rural areas from zone of economic misery to that of prosperity in order to expand economic opportunities for African youth, leading to improvements in their lives, thereby stemming migration.
“More than ever before, Africa must rapidly modernize its agriculture and unlock its full potential,’’ Akinwumi Adesina, the President of AfDB said.
“Addressing the challenges of food insecurity is critical in addressing the more complex issues of migration and displacement. Reducing inter-communal conflict over scarce resources, such as water and pasture for animals, is also key.”
“This requires new agricultural innovations and transforming agriculture into a sector for creating wealth. We must make agriculture a really cool choice for young people,” he added.
The bank has said it will invest $15 billion over the next 10 years to develop new youth agriculture entrepreneurs.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has helped 13,000 migrants to return voluntarily to Nigeria, Guinea and other countries from Libya this year. It provides them with transport and pocket money and documents their often harrowing testimonies.
