Introductory Note to the Resolution on the Situation of Migrants in Africa (Item Proposed by Senegal)

Abstract

Post-independence, African nations enacted restrictive immigration laws to safeguard their nascent economies and national security. The economic downturns of the 1980s, intensified by global recession, fueled social unrest and xenophobia targeting migrant communities. This led to arbitrary arrests, detentions, inhumane treatment, and mass expulsions for some migrants, even those with long term residency.