Lamola and Rwanda’s Nduhungirehe call for continental approach to migration

By Akani Nkuna

International relations minister Ronald Lamola and his Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe, have called for Africa’s migration challenges to be addressed through a continental debate on their root causes, rather than through criticism of how individual countries respond to them.

The ministers were speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria, after bilateral talks aimed at strengthening relations between South Africa and Rwanda.

Lamola said African countries needed deeper economic development and cooperation to reduce migration pressures within and beyond the continent.

He said the debate should focus on the reasons millions of Africans leave their countries of origin, including economic hardship, instability and other push-and-pull factors.

“We have been very clear that any debate that can take place on this matter at the African Union (AU) should focus on the broader discussion on the migration issues. Almost 45 million people from the African continent, particularly the youth, go outside