Return, readmission, and reintegration

The ACSRM aims to provide understanding of return, readmission, and reintegration in Africa. The ACSRM explores the living conditions, challenges, aspirations and needs of migrant returnees whether in the context of legal migration, irregular migration, trafficking, smuggling that have not been subject to in-depth studies. The ACSRM aims to strengthen the capacities of African Member States and RECs on national, regional, continental, and international/global instruments related to RRR. The ACSRM will strengthen data collection and analysis of return, reintegration, and readmission issues. The ACSRM will contribute to the capacity building of government stakeholders, civil society organizations in the origin countries, and communities of return on return, reintegration, and readmission, including exchanging good practices, lessons learned, etc. Strengthening regional and international cooperation, including readmission agreements, is critical to foster return, reintegration, and readmission.

Return, readmission, and reintegration are linked with forced displacement, irregular migration, trafficking, smuggling of migrants, and various migration and displacement patterns and trends. Strengthening cooperation between origin and destination countries on the return and readmission of irregular migrants while ensuring the respect of migrants’ rights per the international human rights instruments is essential. 

Effective measures should be implemented for the successful economic and social inclusion and integration of returnees in their community or state of origin. Strengthening social and economic assistance to migration-prone areas and the capacities, skills, financial capital, and entrepreneurial spirit of returnees and enabling them access to decent job opportunities and social protection are crucial. Effective reintegration programs and strategies can significantly contribute to preventing irregular migration. 

A comprehensive approach to return, reintegration, and readmission combining reintegration efforts with local socioeconomic development programs, skills development, decent employment opportunities, and resilience and livelihoods strategies for migrant-prone communities is essential. Enhancing the capacities of African Union Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on reintegration strategies is crucial.