The African Union, chaired by Angola, continues to consider ensuring dignity a priority in governance on migration issues, reiterated the Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the continental organization, Amma Twum-Amoah.
In a statement published on the official African Union website, on the occasion of December 18, International Migrants Day, the Commissioner and Ambassador emphasized that the organization leads initiatives to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration.
“Africa is charting a new path, in which the continent leads its own migration agenda, based on its unique realities, capacities, and aspirations,” the message states.
According to Amma Twum-Amoah, this approach is fully aligned with this year’s International Migrants Day theme, which recognizes that migrants’ financial and non-financial remittances, diaspora investments, skills transfer, political participation, geoeconomic engagement, and community development have shaped global development architectures in diverse and lasting ways.
“It is therefore a strong appeal from the African Union to its member states and the international community to recognize, value, honor, and celebrate the contributions of African migrants worldwide,” emphasized the Commissioner.
Amma Twum-Amoah further stated that the African Union reaffirms its commitment to honoring migrants’ contributions, defending their rights and dignity, and promoting a migration-for-development vision that is inclusive, empowering, and transformative.
For the African Union Commissioner, the main goal remains to build a stronger, more prosperous, and resilient Africa, where mobility is welcomed, rights are protected, and every migrant is recognized as a catalyst for progress.
As part of the celebrations of the day, the message notes, the African Union honors the resilient spirit and innovative capacity of migrants across Africa and the world, emphasizing that December 18 represents an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions of migrants to global societies.
This year, the day was celebrated under the theme “Honoring Migrants’ Contributions and Respecting Their Rights,” highlighting migration as an ancient human phenomenon that has profoundly shaped the global socioeconomic, cultural, and political landscape.
In Africa, Amma Twum-Amoah’s statement adds, migration is seen as a powerful driver of regional economic integration, “deeply rooted in the fabric of Africa’s historical development, a lasting legacy of which we are justly proud.”
Across the continent, migrants have long contributed to the dynamism of cities, industries, and communities, and the same applies to nations beyond African borders.
According to the Commissioner, research indicates that nearly 80 percent of African migration is intra-African, stimulating local economies, strengthening labor markets, facilitating the transfer of skills and knowledge, and fostering innovation.
“Through the implementation of the Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA), the African Union has taken decisive steps to position human mobility as a pillar of accelerated development, in line with Agenda 2063, the Second Decennial Implementation Plan (STYIP), and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), which affirm migration as a human reality that must be governed by respect for Human Rights,” the statement reads.
At the core of the African Union’s vision, the Commissioner emphasized, is an unwavering commitment to Human Rights, asserting that every migrant, regardless of status, “has the right to respect, protection, dignity, and access to essential social services, including quality health care, justice, and economic opportunities.”
Source: Jornal de Angola
