The African Union Information and Communication Directorate (AU ICD), in collaboration with the African Union Liaison Office of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmBH (GIZ AU), has launched the MOVE AFRICA communications project to reshape public perception on movement in Africa by focusing on the benefits, challenges, and opportunities migration offers.

Leslie Richer, Director of Information and Communication at the African Union Commission, emphasized the project’s role in equipping journalists and storytellers with the necessary tools, training, and resources to amplify diverse voices and foster balanced dialogue, helping to advance policies for safe, fair, and regular migration.

Dr. Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of Labour, Employment & Migration at the African Union Commission, underscored the importance of media in influencing migration narratives. He highlighted that while migration is often seen as a challenge, its potential as a driver of economic development, skills transfer, and social cohesion is rarely emphasized. The role of media professionals is key in presenting migration as a multifaceted issue, moving beyond the prevailing crisis narrative.

MOVE AFRICA comes at a critical time, with over 40 million international migrants in Africa, representing 14.5% of the global migrant population. More than half of these migrants (51%) reside within the continent, emphasizing the significance of intra-African mobility. Despite the growing importance of migration in fostering regional integration and economic growth, the implementation of key continental migration policies, such as the Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) and the AU Free Movement of Persons Protocol (AU FMP), requires further promotion.

Kokebe Hailegabriel, Head of Project Support to the African Union on Labour Migration and Free Movement of Persons, stressed that MOVE AFRICA aims to raise awareness and promote dialogue about mobility challenges and opportunities. The initiative seeks to build political will and public support for migration-friendly policies, advancing a vision of an integrated and economically dynamic Africa where migration is seen as a tool for development, not a burden.

The MOVE AFRICA project introduces its grantees, a group of outstanding African-owned organizations tasked with implementing the initiative’s objectives. Through awareness campaigns, media engagement, capacity-building workshops, and policy dialogues, these organizations will challenge misconceptions, amplify migrant voices, and reshape the conversation around migration on the continent.