2015年-世界发展银行全球_Land_Conflict_Migration_and_Citizenship_in_West_Africa___Complex_Diversity_and_Recurring_Challenges_72页_1mb

Summary of Land Conflict, Migration, and Citizenship in West Africa: Complex Diversity and Recurring Challenges by Kerry Maze

Core Content

This desk study explores the intricate relationship between land conflict, migration, and citizenship in West Africa, highlighting the complexity and recurring challenges in the region. It emphasizes the historical, cultural, and political diversity of the region and how these factors influence the dynamics of land and migration. The report is structured to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic, including the migration context, land tenure systems, meta-trends, and policy recommendations.

Main Migrant Groups

• Pastoralists:

  • Live in arid, semiarid, and subhumid regions.
  • Practice seasonal and circular mobility for livestock grazing and water access.
  • Constitute over 20 million people across the Sahel.
  • Often marginalized due to limited political representation and access to resources.
  • Face land conflicts due to restricted access to traditional grazing areas and competition with farmers.

• Economic and Labor Migrants:

  • Include both skilled and unskilled migrants.
  • Many originate from northern and inland regions (e.g., Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo) and move toward resource-rich coastal areas (e.g., Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire).
  • Migration patterns have evolved over time, with more long-term and international mobility driven by economic fluctuations, unemployment, and climate change.
  • Remittances have become a significant economic factor, often surpassing official development aid.
  • In Senegal, 30–50% of active men are absent from their villages, with remittances accounting for 30–70% of family budgets.

• Forcibly Displaced Persons (IDPs):

  • Include those affected by conflict and insecurity in countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Côte d'Ivoire.
  • Forced displacement has increased due to insurgencies in Mali and Niger, and low-intensity conflicts in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal.
  • Displaced populations often face land access issues, which hinder their return and reintegration.

Key Issues and Impacts

• Land Tenure and Management:

  • Land tenure systems are complex, often involving legal pluralism (coexistence of formal and customary laws).
  • Land conflicts arise from unequal distribution, discriminatory policies, and artificial colonial boundaries.
  • Land grabbing is a growing concern, especially by dominant elites.

• Impacts of Migration:

  • Migration contributes significantly to economic development, especially in agriculture and livestock sectors.
  • Pastoral livestock supply up to 44% of Mali’s agricultural GDP and 5–44% in other countries.
  • Remittances support community development and family income, but also create economic dependency.
  • Negative impacts include brain drain, loss of skilled labor, and increased competition for jobs in host countries.

Regional Migration Policies

• ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons:

  • Ratified in 1980, it allows free movement and residence within the region for 90 days without a visa.
  • Provides equal treatment, protection against arbitrary expulsion, and access to legal and social services.
  • Migrants have the right to own land and property in accordance with national laws.

• Challenges in Policy Implementation:

  • Despite the protocol, state capacity and data availability are often limited, especially in fragile and low-income states.
  • Irregular migration and customary practices complicate policy enforcement.
  • Legal gaps and lack of centralized data hinder effective migration management and land governance.

Meta-Trends and Fragility

• Global and Regional Trends:

  • Population growth, land scarcity, urbanization, and climate change are key drivers of migration and land conflict.
  • Transhumance and seasonal migration remain important for pastoral communities.
  • Remittances are increasingly influencing economic structures and migration decisions.

• Common Recommendations:

  • Strengthen land tenure security and legal frameworks.
  • Improve data collection and policy coordination at the national and regional levels.
  • Address legal pluralism and customary land rights.
  • Enhance migration policies to be more inclusive and conflict-sensitive.
  • Support community-based land management and conflict resolution mechanisms.

Conclusion and Research Questions

• The study concludes that migration and land issues are deeply intertwined with fragility and conflict in West Africa.
• Ways forward include better understanding of the interplay between migration and land governance.
• The report raises key research questions to guide future work on conflict-sensitive migration and land management.

Key Terms

Term	Definition
Citizenship	Involves both formal national status and customary notions of "outsider" or "foreigner", affecting land access and local tensions.
Conflict	Disagreement between groups over beliefs or actions that are resisted or unacceptable.
Fragility	A continuum of state weakness, characterized by lack of institutional capacity and resilience.
Land Disputes	Competing claims over land access, control, and use, involving individuals, communities, and state authorities.
Land Grabbing	Illegitimate appropriation of land by dominant actors.
Remittances	Money transfers from migrants to their countries of origin, often exceeding official development aid.
Transhumance	Seasonal movement of livestock and people between grazing areas.
Forced Displacement	Internal displacement (IDPs) and refugees due to conflict, violence, or persecution.

Report Parameters

• The report is based on desk research and consultations, not fieldwork.
• Focuses on 15 ECOWAS member states.
• Acknowledges data limitations, particularly regarding current laws, regulations, and administrative procedures.
• Highlights the need for updated information and collaboration between IOM and the World Bank.

References

• The report cites various international organizations and studies, including IOM, UNDP, World Bank, OECD, and IIED.
• Key references include Addy (2005), Adepoju (2006), Bossard (2009), Cotula and Toulmin (2004), and Van der Auweraert (2013).

Key Statistics

• Total migrants in West Africa: ~7.5 million (3% of the population).
• Remittances as a percentage of GDP (2010):
  • Cape Verde: 8.36%
  • Senegal: 10.47%
  • The Gambia: 11.02%
  • Togo: 10.49%
• Refugees and IDPs in 2013:
  • Northern Mali: 175,000 refugees and 353,455 IDPs.
  • Côte d'Ivoire: 93,738 refugees and 24,000 IDPs.
• Forced displacement in 2014: Over 120,000 returning displaced populations in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Final Notes

• The report underscores the need for integrated approaches to land and migration governance.
• It calls for policy coherence, data transparency, and inclusive legal frameworks.
• Future research should focus on migration patterns, land rights, and conflict mitigation strategies in the context of fragility and development.