The position papers aim to contribute to the ongoing policy discussions of governing migration and human mobility from the perspective of civil society. They provides a bottom-up point of view and conveys a message to policymakers of the added value of civil society’s input into the discussion of improving the migration governance system in Africa at different levels. The position papers also narrate a perspective informed by a lived reality and a first-hand observation of the social, environmental, political, and economic dynamics on the ground impacting migration in all of its multi-facets. To this end, the position papers articulate a less familiar narrative about the discussion of the topic.
This is because the analysis in the position papers are closely informed by insider inquiry, local inspection, specific country experience, and a deeper understanding of the complexity and challenges of the migration and mobility dynamics on the continent, which receives little policy attention.

The aim of the position papers is to amplify voices from civil society in the policy discussions in the field taking place at different policy levels both within Africa, Europe, and between the two. Actively involving civil society in the ongoing political dialogue and policy discussions regarding migration and human mobility is very important. It is in line with the commitment enshrined in the Joint Africa-EU Strategic Partnership and Action Plan adopted in Lisbon in 2007. The strategy, which is often referred to as a ‘people-centred partnership’, urged that Africa and the EU pursue and implement policies and programmes that facilitate the active participation of civil society in policy deliberations in the different areas of the partnership. This is because civil society contributes other observations that can enrich policy discussion from an angle not often presented. These papers will also serve as background documents for a side event that ADPC will organize during the upcoming AU-EU Summit that will be held in Brussels in February 2022. The key focus of the Summit is on the issue of migration and mobility in the Africa-EU Partnership. The side-event is also intended to increase the profile, voices, and visibility of the network of the African migration policy experts in Africa among migration policy and development community circles both in Africa and in Europe.