Hidden Dynamics behind the African Boat People

As sea waves blow across the Mediterranean Europe, it brings along the unwanted arrivals from Africa.  These are people searching for a better life in the European Union.  This summer Europe is experiencing a large influx of illegal immigrants across its coastline.  This seemingly continuous wave is not a Spanish problem, but a problem for the European Union.  It is also a problem for the African Union. 

 

Despite the large number of people dying at sea, investment among Africans in this one way journey has rapidly increased in the summer of 2006.  Spanish authorities have called for European Union assistance in this problem, but they do not seem to get sufficient response from Brussels.  One of the Spanish officials has as even muted of sending these illegal immigrants to Paris and Brussels, as a way to get EU's attention this problem. 

 

There is every indication that this problem is also lucrative, for those involve in the human traffic.  Given the number of increased illegal inflows (this year alone, now well over twice last year), syndicates operating this business seem to have good understanding of weakness within both the European Union, as well as the African Union.  From preliminary indications, it does appear that people from both Europe and Africa are involved in this sea journey trafficking.

 

Who are the African Boat People?

 

They are not the down trodden poor people one sees or finds in Africa.  The poor in Africa will always be found in Africa.  They do not have the means and sometimes the will. And, even if they had the will, their priorities are different.  They include how to get education, food, shelter and health.   

 

Most illegal immigrants we see are victims of either a wrong perception about Europe, and or unemployment in an increasingly disenfranchised urban Africa.  They are people searching for opportunities to grow.  But, as they pursue their dreams of making it in life, they find themselves trapped by stopgap factors well beyond their imagination.    

 

Some of the most compelling hidden factors shaping illegal immigrant include:

 

          Euro-stories from successful illegal immigrants already in Europe.  Although life is tough for most immigrants in Europe, they have better freedom than in their countries of origin.  In the Mediterranean Europe, most of the low end unskilled jobs are increasingly done by Africans.  Most of the Spanish horticultural -fruit and vegetable industry employs foreign immigrants largely from Africa.  Income by most illegal immigrants is remitted back in Africa to support families.  With internet, and ready people smuggling rings, the pace at which a potential immigrant can act has reduced.  It also does appears that most illegal immigrant are trying to get to Europe in summer times - the best time to made cheap journeys given excellent visibility at sea. 

 

          Astutely coordinated criminal syndicates in Africa and Europe.  There is increasing evidence from immigrants that journeys are facilitated by highly organised criminals in West Africa.  Some of these criminal groups have links to European based criminals.  

 

Evidence found among some of the dead illegal immigrants, off the shoes of Barbados, (on a boat that lost course), points to linkages between some Spanish and African criminals.  It does also appear that most of the immigrants do heavily pay upfront for their journeys, as well as for some of the potential part time jobs they would get.  Stories are beginning to emerge from some of how they are now in some sort of modern slavery. 

 

          Local experimentations. But, given the high cost of dealing with criminals, desperate people are now trying the sea journey with assistance of local fishermen.  Leaning on insights of seasonal sea dynamics, new immigrants are now arriving in Canary Islands through fishermens knowledge.   And as their arrival success rates increase, so does the wave of next set forth.  This is a new cheap summer way of bypassing expensive criminal groups. 

 

Some Wider Issues at Play

 

A couple of interplaying factors are behind the wave we are now witnessing.   Key among them is the known fact among illegal immigrants that, once on the European shores, they will be provided for through the Red Cross.  This alone, is often a comforting fact among every potential illegal immigrant.   Beyond the Red Cross care, potential immigrants also know that Human Rights issues are well adhered to in the Western World.  Through this, there is a sense of assurance that any story they have or come up with will be taken seriously.

 

These realities provide opportunity for would-be economic refuges to buy time to adjust.  It is also gives them space to re-establish contacts with some people they know, or to start thinking of what they can do next. 

 

Beyond initial basic care, there are other issues within Europe and Africa at play.  Gaps between Africa and Europes political and administrative structures partly encourage what is being witnessed.  In a sense, what is happening is the preliminary effects of globalisations outworking.  Events in one place having an impact in a distance region or country.   

 

At European Level, there is a genuine growing concern in Europe about illegal immigration.  It is becoming a topic of concern within ordinary people, especially in areas with large immigrants.  However, some within Europe think or have a perception that this is a Spanish or Mediterranean Europe problem.  As pointed out by a leading European farmer in the Benelux countries, if Spain is benefiting from the cheap labour from Africa, then, it too has to pay for the costs that come with this labour.  Within Europe cheap agricultural products of Spain and other Mediterranean countries are now becoming an area of disquiet among other farmers and agro based industries.  The issue of labour equity in terms of labour costs is beginning to emerge.     

 

On another level, the slow pace at which Brussels in responding to support requests, reflects the vulnerability of EU.  The lack of a proactive preparedness on this matter points to other wider weakness between the EU and its neighbouring regions.  Among some of the EU officials, there is concern about the African Problem, and they feel that a more explicate well funded policy and programme needs to be established on this matter.  This is particularly so, given the wider context of a borderless EU. 

 

At the African Level, citizenry problems are a real challenge to the African leadership.  Probably, only Morocco seriously takes this issue, given its large tourist industry.  This is an industry heavily dependant on European tourists.  So this matter is high priority issue on the government agenda. 

 

But, elsewhere in Western Africa, illegal immigration to Europe is not a priority within the governments.  In fact, in some circles of leadership it informally has growing blessings.  Immigrant remittance is a large part of hidden aid in Africa.  It is not affected by IMF or World Bank that have some conditionality. as stated by one farmer in Ghana. 

 

As pointed out by an advisor in the region, This issue is likely to help African leaders have some leverage, supportive to helping them address their economic challenges.  Most Africa Leaders have the challenge of raising the basic service provision food, shelter, health and education of their people.  Probably as Africa and Europe wake up to address these issue, this may provide opportunity for some of the African leaders to embrace globalisation, and view it as an opportunity, rather than agonise about what they cannot reverse. 

 

Both Europe and Africa have opportunity to learn and grow in developing better mechanism to address the root causes of illegal immigration.  The exemplary cooperation between Morocco and Spain will need to be extended to other West African and Mediterranean European nations.  Dialogue in this area may lead to some investment supportive of better use of Africas skilled and unskilled manpower.   

 

Article by

 

Patrick A Khamadi,  

Policy Advisor  - International Development

Nate-care Development 

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