South Africa will put migration and regional integration on the agenda of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Durban next week, as Pretoria seeks greater regional cooperation on undocumented migration and the cost of repatriating foreign nationals.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will chair the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit on Aug. 17, with regional leaders expected to discuss trade, movement of people and the implementation of the bloc’s regional development plans.
Migration has gained prominence following protests against undocumented migrants in South Africa and the repatriation of foreign nationals to neighboring countries.
South Africa has called on countries whose nationals are being repatriated to cover the costs of their transportation. Pretoria has said countries of origin should bear primary responsibility for the costs of voluntary repatriation, while South Africa has been covering much of the cost of current operations.
South African authorities said more than 53,000 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation or repatriation by July 11, with Malawians accounting for more than 80%, followed by Zimbabweans and Mozambicans.
Also, Botswana has called for migration to be addressed at the highest level of the regional bloc, with Foreign Affairs Minister Phenyo Butale linking the issue to SADC’s broader goal of regional integration and shared prosperity.
“The migration issue requires us to come up with a way that we can ensure shared prosperity,” Butale said, arguing that people should be able to find employment across the region rather than migrate because of economic hardship.
“Migration becomes an option, not an escape,” he said.
The issue comes as SADC seeks to deepen regional integration under a summit theme focused on infrastructure development, agriculture and critical minerals as drivers of industrialisation.
Lately, South Africa has said its immigration enforcement measures are aimed at ensuring lawful and orderly migration, while calling for greater cooperation from migrants’ countries of origin.
The migration debate could test SADC’s efforts to promote the free movement of people and regional economic integration while addressing concerns over undocumented migration, employment, border management and the costs of repatriation.
