移民和人才流失的经济学建议论文

移民和人才流失的经济学建议论文
The Proposal Of Migration And Brain Drain Economics Essay
 

Migration has often been blamed for the tortoise pace at which our continent is developing. “Brain drain” being the main basis of the argument. Most people argue that migration is the reason why our continent is not developing at the rate at which it should. They believe that migration has drawn away our skilled professionals and that is the reason why our continent fails to develop.

 

The reason why migration might not have gained reputation as an accelerator for development is because there is not much economic literature on migration in Africa (Scarcity of Information). Also remittances that are got are underestimated because they are not passed through official channels such as banks and money transfer companies. This is why the importance of remittances has been underreported. And generally bad news travels faster than good news.

 

Migration is a necessity if any country has development on its to-do list. This is because migration has created more jobs than lost. People have got jobs as a result of the influx of foreigners in our country. These foreigners have been able to help make progress in Ghana, albeit slow progress. And countries such as Brazil, China and India are looking forward to sending personnel to help Africa achieve its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the set year 2015.

 

Furthermore, saying that migration is the reason for underdevelopment cannot be ascertained because underdevelopment propels emigration. It is a situation of chicken or the egg which came first? But in this case the answer is quite obvious underdevelopment came before migration. The Economist Magazine asserted that if restrictions on labor migration in loosened, it "would be one of the fastest ways to boost global economic growth." The advantageous effects are said to be importantly than the elimination of any trade blocks especially in Africa.

 

The process brain drain should rather been seen as brain circulation, countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Gambia and Namibia are known to have replaced migrants of other African countries and are helping in the development of Africa. Africans in the diaspora bring skills, resources and training to countries of descent.

 

Thesis: Migration in Africa is not the reason Africa is underdeveloped. Migration is rather something that has to happen if Africa is to develop and attain a status like that of other developed countries.

 

People say development in Africa is slow, sluggish and is nowhere near gained status as a first world continent. There have been many causes of this supposed underdevelopment. However migration has been mentioned as the primary cause. It has been said migration has created a “Brain drain”, a depletion or loss of intellectual and technical personnel. When it comes to numbers, “of the 150 million migrants in the world, more than 50 million are estimated to be Africans.” (Diop and D’Aloisio). These figures paint a crude picture of what migration has done to Africa in terms of personnel and workforce. The reason why migration might not have gained reputation as an accelerator for development is because there is not much economic literature on migration in Africa (Scarcity of Information) and also migration is looked at in only one view. (Shaw)

 

However, I believe that migration is a catalyst for development. Migration is a necessity if any country has development on its to-do list. NGOs send personnel to help in the creation of jobs. For example, “Hand in Hand” enables men and women by supporting activities that create revenue and the development of micro-enterprises. “The non-profit organization has trained over 525,000 women who have started 376,463 small businesses. Its goal is to create 10 million jobs in 10 years”. (Whitaker) .Also, migration has reduced the case of unemployment. Looking at the unemployment crisis in six countries that import oil in the North Africa region and Middle East – Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia and Syria. “In the past, high unemployment in the region led to large numbers of workers moving abroad in search of work.” This move has reduced the rate of unemployment in those countries, thereby creating more revenue for these countries.

 

Moreover, households and nations of people who have migrated benefit from remittances. Remittances are an extremely significant generator of foreign exchange and finance, aiding to alleviate unequal incomes and to build human and communal capital. People who receive remittances are better off than their equals who do not receive this source of income source of income. On a national level, remittances have an important effect on foreign exchange revenues and the balance of payments. However, money got from remittance is seriously underreported till now and information on its importance continues to be in the backwaters. Less than two-thirds of Africa sends information on remittances received. Ghana has received remittances to an estimate of US$119 million in the year 2010 as against the previous year where it received US$114 million. Remittances are a critical helping hand for entire communities and families across Africa, particularly in the after effects of the worldwide economic crisis (Sander and Maimbo).

 

The greater part of remittances sent to immigrants are used for food consumption or investing in to the health and education of the people. The large portion of remittances used for food consumption shows that remittances and migration is included in the plans families of migrants make to alleviate poverty and increase the level of material comfort. For example, in a country like Zimbabwe, homes with migrants had been found to have less farms or cultivated lands than their counterparts who did not have migrants but were found to have marginally higher levels of education (Haan). Also a survey was held in the 1990’s in Burkina Faso, where it was realized that 15% of households in the rural areas received international remittances which benefitted the poorest of homes. It was also noticed that international remittances reduced the headcount of poverty in households rural areas by 7 percent and in the urban areas by 3 percent (Lachaud).

 

Furthermore, saying that migration is the reason for underdevelopment cannot be ascertained because underdevelopment propels emigration. It is a situation of chicken or the egg which came first? But in this case the answer is quite obvious underdevelopment came before migration. Labor migration in particular has been known to increase development especially in areas of trade. “The Economist” claimed that a loosening in the restrictions on labor migration in Africa “would be one of the fastest ways to boost global economic growth." It also makes claim that the positive effects of the relaxing restrictions on labor migration would be greater than removal of trade barriers (Institute) and since trade is an important part of development, it is obvious development will take place when labor migration occurs. This statement gives more truth to the statement that migration has to occur if Africa wants to achieve status like that of the Europe and Americas.

 

The theory of “brain drain” is normally posed as the only negative occurrence for Africa, the truth in the situation is more complicated than it seems. Even though numerous migrants stay for good in their host countries, there are undoubtedly others who return to their motherlands with increased training and skills to conduce development (Diop and D’Aloisio). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is facilitating this process by creating programs has established programs to facilitate this process. IOM has established a program named the “Migration for Development in Africa Program” (MIDA) it is a program that is working for the return of qualified African nationals. The program provides funds for migrants with a mobility-based approach, assisting them to lend their skills to their native lands.

 

The case of “brain circulation” should also be looked at when migration is being talked about as a promoter of development. Following the trend of “brain circulation” expert professionals from Africa have found countries such as Botswana, Namibia, Gabon, South Africa to good substitutes to the Europe and US for relocation. (Diop and D’Aloisio) The same applies when people from the Americas, Europe and Asia migrate into Africa, Brazil, China and India are looking forward to sending personnel to help Africa achieve its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the set year 2015 (Sarr 10). This is in relation to the general transition where people from African countries migrate, simply to be supplanted by migrants from other parts of Africa, likewise people from other continents migrating to Africa to replace emigrants from Africa.#p#分页标题#e#

 

When migration and development is talked about, another term that springs up is “diaspora migration”. “Diaspora migration” is the movement of migrants back to their homeland. Over the past few years, the number of migrants coming back to Africa to help in its development has increased. The trickle of migrants into Africa is now becoming a steady stream. The economic growth Africa experienced as governments liberalized certain key industries is what triggered the exodus back to the motherland. Also the global economic downturn has led to a lot of redundancies which has encouraged skilled professionals from countries like Ghana, Angola and Kenya. The returnees are attracted by the opportunity of quicker promotions and more responsibility than the west. (Rundell) Now diaspora migration is helping Africa in the sense that the repatriates as most returnees are called bring along expertise, experience and technical skills to the table and find the best way to reduce cost and maximize production.

 

For example, Mayo Okunola left his position as a director in the GSM association situated in Atlanta and is now general manager of a Lagos-based DMTV Nigeria, which is an auxiliary of Multichoice South Africa, that is developing content for mobile phones. Mr. Kunbi Ogunye also left his position as a consultant in a firm of high repute and is now working as head of strategy at the Nigerian bank, Oceanic (Rundell). Some repatriates come and also start up their own businesses creating employment for their countries of origin. The companies are benefitting from these returnees, they say it is cheaper to pay the repatriates than expatriates and that they understand the economics of being in Africa better than the expatriates.

 

The importance of migration to development in Africa was made evident by the birth Africa- EU partnership Migration, Mobility and Employment. “It is a partnership that provides holistic responses to these various issues in the interest of both partners, with the particular objectives to create more and better jobs for Africa and to better manage migration flows.” (Partnership) It plans to incorporate issues regarding migration, mobility and development into poverty reduction strategies. It is also devising region schemes to improve collaboration between countries of origin and destination. Finally promote ways to make the receiving of remittances faster, safer and cheaper. In addition they are ensuring that adequate data, research and know-how is made accessible to governments. They are finding ways to make sure that remittances are also used for better investments.

 

With all these analysis made, it is quite obvious that migration is a necessity, an action that needs to happen, a journey that must be taken if Africa as a continent wants to develop. Not to say Africa is not developing, but it needs a catalyst that will make development move at the rate it is supposed to move at. Only then can Africa be the true Eden of the world.