South Africa - The IOM Regional Office for Southern Africa and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in South Africa are holding a briefing today (21/10) to discuss migration issues in the Southern Africa region. The event brought together members of the diplomatic community in South Africa from the rest of the African continent and Europe.

The briefing comes at a time when migration figures have reached unprecedented levels at an estimated one billion people globally and Africa is forecast to see the largest population growth of any region in the world.

Within the Southern Africa region, migratory patterns are no longer static, with migrants becoming less identifiable as homogenous groups, resulting in a shift more towards more mixed migration flows. These consist of refugees, asylum seekers, economic migrants and victims of trafficking, including women and children.

Southern Africa is home to the continent’s largest economy, consequently inviting high volumes of migrants into the region in pursuit of economic opportunities. Furthermore, the region is witnessing various types of movements, including mixed and irregular migration, and displacement due to conflict and natural disasters.

IOM Regional Director for Southern Africa Josiah Ogina said: “Southern Africa’s experience mirrors that of the rest of the world.  Given its prime economic and political relevance to the continent, the region is in a prime position to facilitate ideas and share experiences with our counterparts from the rest of the continent and in Europe, as to how to best go about managing the complexities posed by migration.”

For further information, please contact Lerato Tsebe at IOM South Africa at Tel: +27 72 127 7094, Email: ltsebe@iom.int