Expert analyses, op-eds and contributions on African migration dynamics.
The curtains have closed on COP30 (Conference of Parties of the U.N. Convention on Climate Change) in Belém, Brazil. This once again highlights the paradox that has become almost structural in climate negotiations i.e. discussions focus on emissions, financing, reducing greenhouse gases, adaptation, ecosystem protection, loss and damage, and energy roadmaps, but rarely on human …
The decision to close several gold mining sites in Mali and forcibly repatriate hundreds of workers from Niger is creating a new human and economic crisis for already vulnerable communities. Beyond the individual trauma, this impending population movement threatens to worsen food insecurity, economic precarity and social tensions in the regions in Niger, already identified …
Lomé, the Togolese capital is changing rapidly. Between 2010 and 2022, the population of the Greater Lomé area increased steadily by around 2.5–3% each year, growing from approximately 1.57 million to over 2.1 million inhabitants. This demographic increase, driven by ongoing rural exodus and internal migration, exerts significant pressure on housing, transportation, sanitation, healthcare and …
In Togolese and West African public debate, terms such as ‘migrant’, ‘refugee’, ‘displaced person’ and ‘mobile person’ are often misused, leading to confusion. Yet these terms refer to very different legal, social and human realities. The following text clarifies these concepts by combining international definitions with the Togolese context. Mobile person: A mobile person is …
As the saying goes: “the world has been populated by migration”. However, migration flows are not uniform; some countries are better known as countries of departure, some as destination or host countries and some as both. What about Togo? This small West African nation, which borders the Atlantic Ocean and is part of the Lagos-Abidjan …
An increasing number of Togolese people living abroad are acquiring the citizenship of their host country while maintaining a strong connection to Togo. The central question is whether dual citizenship is an opportunity for Togo, or whether it constitutes an obstacle to the harmonious reintegration of the diaspora. This issue raises profound legal, political and …
Migration is more than just moving to a new place; it also means adapting to a different cultural, social, and economic environment. For Togolese migrants or future migrants, language plays a crucial role in integration, as well as in gaining access to employment, public services and local communities. Whether they settle in Europe, the Arab …
Leo lands in Lomé. Koffi arrives in Milan. Same migratory journey. Two realities. As human trajectories become increasingly transnational, one detail remains: the way we describe travellers depends on their origin. One word can elevate, the other can stigmatise. When geography dictates status Leo, a young European, arrives in Lomé, Togo. He has a backpack …
This is a historic step towards free movement across Africa. The country has officially abolished visa requirements for citizens of most African countries, as well as many Caribbean nations. This decision redefines continental mobility and sets a precedent for other African States. Since the beginning of the year, nationals of African countries, with the exception …
How can we explain why certain young Africans choose to migrate to another African country? In this episode of Dialogue Migration, we follow the journey of a young man, Gérôme, who has spent nearly a decade travelling across Africa. In Cotonou, Benin, you will meet young people of various nationalities. They come from different African …
