"Out of Africa"? Not Quite

Africans migrate more from one Africa country to another, contrary to belief that almost every African migrates beyond the continent, a report by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has revealed.

"Media coverage and research on irregular migration and high death toll amongst those crossing the Mediterranean have falsely reinforced the belief that Africans migration is essentially directed towards Europe. Migration streams within Africa are much larger than those out of Africa. About 31 million of the continent's population has migrated internationally. This is little more than 3 per cent of the continent's population. More than half of those migrating internationally do so within Africa, with only about 28 per cent of migrants from Africa going to Europe. Of the total migrant stock in Europe, less than 12 percent are from Africa," Mrs Takyiwaa Manuh, Director, Social Development Policy Division, UNECA, said.