Using IOM Flow Monitoring Data to Describe Migration in West and Central Africa

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Using IOM Flow Monitoring Data to Describe Migration in West and Central Africa

IPL’s Summary

African Migrants: Where Are They Going and Why?

With the support of the Immigration Policy Lab (IPL) and data collected at transit hubs by the International Organization on Migration (IOM), we are exploring the motivations and journeys of West and Central African migrants. While much media attention and policymaker concern are devoted to Africans heading for Europe, we find that only 10 percent of migrants from this region intend to travel there. And even as violent conflict captures international attention as a key driver of migration, almost three-quarters (74 percent) of these migrants said economic pressures shaped their decision to move.