To underscore the scope of migration taking place throughout the continent, the newly appointed head of the UN’s migration agency will begin her first official journey to Africa on Sunday.
New UN migration chief visit Africa: Then, as the 27-member EU group deals with a recent flood of migrant arrivals in Italy, Amy Pope, the first woman elected to oversee the International Organisation for Migration, will travel to Brussels.
Before meeting with Ethiopian officials, the newly-elected American will travel to Addis Ababa to the African Union’s headquarters.
She will next proceed to Djibouti and Kenya.
Pope made the remark at a press conference in Geneva when attention is particularly focused on refugees seeking to reach Europe. He stated, “When we talk about migration in terms of the African continent, it’s recognizing that over 80% of the migration takes place in Africa.”
She also highlighted the fact that many African migrants were traveling to the Gulf and emphasized the existence of “very, very troubling reports” regarding the treatment of migrants in that region.
In such situation, it’s crucial to make sure that migrants have better protection and access to services, she continued.
The treatment of migrant workers who contributed to the construction of the venues for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup drew worldwide attention.
More recently, the non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch accused Saudi border guards of murdering hundreds of Ethiopian migrants who were trying to enter the country from Yemen.
Saudi Arabia rejected the claim, calling it “politicised and false.”
In order to support the free trade agreements that the African Union is promoting, Pope will specifically address with the organisation the best method to ensure the free movement of people.