On root causes of illegal migration

The European Union (EU) has re-affirmed its desire to support The Gambia to address illegal migration.

The new EU Ambassador to the Gambia few days ago announced the EU’s desire to stand with The Gambia to address the root causes of illegal migration.

It is actually fundamental that the root causes of illegal migration are addressed, to curb the rate at which Gambian and by extension African youths are leaving their countries to seek greener pasture in Europe.

Many are losing their lives in the process of travelling to European countries through the back-way.

Just about three days ago, some 500 youths were said to have lost their lives again whilst trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean.

Many things are responsible for this dire situation we are experiencing in this new migration wave from Africa to Europe.

It ranges  from the over 600 years of slavery and colonialism combined, when Africa’s human and natural resources were massively exploited by  Europe, to the present-day bad governance being perpetuated by leaders and governments in Africa.

The factories and most of the well-established multi-national companies and corporations today of Europe reaped enormous resources/wealth and labour from Africa, that set the pace for Africa’s continued and massive poverty being experienced today.

Even in the current dispensation of the world economy, European and other countries of the West are still exploiting Africa’s resources.

Africa’s multiple resources are not really used in her own development. Bur her resources have been, and still are being used for the greater development of overseas interests.

However, this situation has been exacerbated by past and current breed of African leaders and governments via the train of bad governance such as misplaced and wrong economic policies, corruption and embezzlement of state resources, human rights violations, poor democratic values, power struggle and conflicts, aggravated poverty via over-dependence on importation of essential goods and services, as well as aid.

These and many more are largely responsible for the current state of Africa and African youths, and that has led to the unprecedented illegal migration of Africans to Europe, even to their own detriment and loss of lives. 

So as we are talking about the root causes of illegal migration, we should not forget the fact that a greater part of the solution rests on good governance.

"A greater part of the solution to illegal migration rests on good governance".

The Point