The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), in collaboration with the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the African Union (AU) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) is pleased to release an Outcomes Report of the High-Level Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the theme, ‘Conflict-Induced Migration in Africa: Maximising New Opportunities to Address its Peace, Security and Inclusive Development Dimensions’, held in Durban, South Africa, on 23 and 24 November 2015. The EGM also benefitted from inputs from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The main objective of the EGM was to provide a platform for representatives of member states of the United Nations (UN), key African regional and sub-regional organisations and mechanisms, as well as African civil society organisations, academia and international partners, including the UN system, to discuss current trends, causes of and challenges of conflict-induced migration in Africa.
The aim of the meeting was to explore strategies to better prevent and address the root causes of conflict-induced migration within the context of implementation of various existing and new African and global policy agendas. Over sixty expert participants, working on issues of peace and security, conflict resolution, migration and development in Africa, attended the meeting. The Outcomes Report, containing key issues and recommendations, may be downloaded here.
The meeting examined major global and continental trends on migration vis-í -vis its impact on affected African migrant populations, as well as on sustainable development, peace and security and good governance in Africa. Drawing on South African experiences, the meeting discussed the efforts African regional and sub-regional organisations have made in formulating and implementing policy instruments on conflict-induced and forced migration.
The discussions also highlighted a number of new opportunities for addressing migration and conflict-related issues in a holistic manner, including in the context of implementing the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the continental Agenda 2063, and the outcomes of the reviews of UN Peace Operations, the UN Peacebuilding Architecture, and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
For more information and pictures pertaining to the EGM meeting, click here.
For more information on this report or the event contact Mr Charles Nyukonge, Senior Researcher, Knowledge Production Department, ACCORD at charlesn@accord.org.za.
