ALGERIA STRESSES DEVELOPMENT AS KEY TO CONTROLLING

UNCLAS ALGIERS 000496 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SMIG PHUM AG XA SUBJECT: ALGERIA STRESSES DEVELOPMENT AS KEY TO CONTROLLING MIGRATION UNDER AN "AFRICAN ROAD MAP" ALGERIA TO HOST APRIL MEETING OF EXPERTS ON MIGRATION -------------- -------------- ¶1. Minister Delegate for Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel presented to journalists March 18 "an African Road Map" for addressing migration issues. He confirmed that further discussions on migration within the African continent and between Europe and Africa would be on the agenda for an African meeting of experts scheduled from April 3-5 in Algiers. Messahel's statements, widely reported by the Algerian press, came at the end of separate meetings he held on the subject with African and European ambassadors posted to Algeria. In his public statements, Messahel called for the establishment by the end of this year of a "common African strategy" on migration, noting that the Algiers meeting had been under discussion since the January African Union Summit held in Khartoum. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OF CONCERN TO AFRICA -------------- ¶2. Messahel said the African Union Commission had transmitted to all member countries a draft "African Road Map on Migration." He emphasized that Algeria would spare no effort to make the Algiers meeting a success so that the African continent could adopt a common strategy on an issue "which has such an impact on our economies and populations." According to Messahel, 17 million Africans are residing temporarily or permanently in a different African country from their country of origin, adding that "illegal immigration from Africa to Europe, North America, and some Middle Eastern countries" was truly an issue of concern for Africa. EXODUS OF AFRICANS REQUIRES COLLECTIVE ACTION -------------- ¶3. Messahel said the "massive exodus" of Africans for developed countries was a real scourge, and it was necessary for Africa to confront collectively this "hemorrhage." According to Messahel, 23,000 university graduates and at least 50,000 African professionals leave Africa each year, expanding the 4-million strong African community in Europe and African communities elsewhere. One of the primary objectives of the "African Road Map," said Messahel, was to reach a stage where such migrations occurred out of choice, not necessity. DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIAL TO GLOBAL POLITICAL STABILITY -------------- -------------- ¶4. The bottom line, underscored Messahel, was to "treat the issue of migration within the global framework of development and political stability." Developing especially the regions of Africa with high migration potential was essential for success, he concluded. ERDMAN