Welcome to the Dialogue Migration podcast. We are going to meet Mr. Salmane Diallo, sociologist, from Guinea Conakry. We will talk in this podcast about the emigration of young Guineans from the sociological angle, we will address in particular the causes, the consequences and the possible solutions. Welcome to all.

Hello Mr. Salman!

Hello!

Please introduce yourself?

I am Diallo Salmane, I am a socio-anthropologist by training and teacher-researcher at the University of Labé

Today we are going to talk about emigration, how do you define emigration?

Migration first, is the movement of populations, from zone A, to zone B. In the concept of migration, we have emigration and immigration. Emigration is the act of leaving one area to go to another. So those in the area of departure speak of emigration, those in the area of arrival speak of immigration. From the point of view of assessing the issue, there is official migration and irregular migration.

Tell us about the causes of migration from a sociological perspective…?

There are basically several causes. First of all, they are of an economic nature, which are the most prominent and the most recurrent whenever it comes to analyzing the migration issue. So, most of those who leave one area for another have basically economic reasons, they want to improve their living conditions. If they are not thriving in the area where they live with the minimum to be able to meet their needs, many are tempted to move in the hope of a better life elsewhere.

Then, the cause can also be social. Many are tempted to embark on migration by imitation of those who left and succeeded and returned with a privileged social status  and some  consideration of society. This pushes many in this quest for capital and social recognition.

Beyond that, the causes can also be political. To the extent that some try the adventure simply because the state has not put in place the necessary conditions for their success. So, they embark on this adventure, hoping to have a more fulfilling life in countries where development is much more concrete.

Finally, the causes are also linked to safety. To be protected from the violence of war and socio-political instability, people prefer to leave their natural areas of habitation in order to take shelter elsewhere. This is fundamentally perceived today in all situations where there is socio-political instability. This is what predisposes them somewhere to leave their area where they feel less safe to go to shelter in areas where they have hope of being protected from all these difficulties, all these constraints.

Geographical causes cannot be excluded either. Today, some areas are no longer suitable for livestock farming or agriculture, while many people live through these activities. This loss of control over the environment motivates many populations to settle in areas where they can validly carry out their activities and meet their needs. Today with global warming, we see that there are places where life has become very hard with the heat and lack of water. There are enough situations that fundamentally call into question the well-being of populations.

What are the consequences of migration?

The experiences are numerous and are lived in both places. In the departure areas, but also in the arrival areas. In the starting areas, it is first of all the brain drain. It is a kind of rural exodus of the brain. As a result, due to a lack of human resources, these areas can no longer claim socio-economic development.

On the other side in the arrival areas, there is overcrowding and this can jeopardize some of the achievements of these countries. Today, if we talk about unemployment, it is a challenge for politicians. The fact that there is this wave of people trying to find a base in these countries can contribute to increasing the unemployment rate. Rising unemployment can encourage protests and the socio-political climate in the said countries.

In this connection, mention should also be made of the fact that these receiving countries may be victims of certain problematic behavior on the part of these migrants. Today, terrorism is on the rise in host countries. Although not the exclusive responsibility of migrants, these new forms of violence fundamentally contribute to jeopardizing the security of these countries. As for the most visible.

As a sociologist, what are your recommendations?

Talking about recommendations is important because, in addition to identifying the causes, we must seek to set up measures to mitigate what is currently leading to the exacerbation of the migratory phenomenon. Solutions can be considered from several angles.

First, there is the social angle. If many leave, it is fundamentally linked to societal constraints. So, raising awareness could well help, for example, on the fact that you can succeed in your country. And through entrepreneurship we can encourage people to settle, establish and develop activities that can allow them to achieve their goal. 

The second aspect is the establishment of a peaceful socio-political climate. Because many today consider entrepreneurship to be a solution that could help alleviate the problem of migration. Even if one has entrepreneurial ideas without a favorable climate, it can push those who have embarked on entrepreneurship to give up and to try Eldorado.

Today, we see every time in the area of the base side, that there is the farm of a such that has been burned or the livestock of a such that has been attacked. These are the properties of people who had decided early on to go on an adventure and came back to invest in them. So, for security reasons, these investors may be tempted to leave to develop elsewhere. 

Ultimately, there is the establishment of a peaceful political and social climate. Recent socio-political protests may discourage investors. This can lead those who do their own businesses to think that it’s not easy to get by. Since  there are recurring demonstrations that can be disruptive. It can also dissuade some from embarking on an entrepreneurship journey, because if, for example, you are a victim of scam or injustice and you do not have the certainty that if you file a complaint, you will be heard and that you will be restored into your rights, it can discourage people.

The implementation of a socio-political climate can keep people at home, it can promote the development of these localities, which are sometimes emptied of their resources.

Thank you, Mr. Diallo!

We were with Mr. Salmane Diallo, a Guinean sociologist. We discussed migration issues with him, including causes, consequences and possible solutions. At the microphone, DIALLO Mamadou Saïdou  from Guinea Conakry. See you next time for another issue.