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EU job centres to target Africans

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Chad Wentworth
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6341487.stm
By Alix Kroeger
EU reporter, Brussels

The European Union development commissioner, Louis Michel, is in Mali for talks to set up the EU's first job centre for African migrants.

The idea is to match potential migrants with job offers in sectors like agriculture, building or cleaning.

France and Spain have already pledged to advertise seasonal vacancies there.

It's part of the EU strategy to deal with the increasing flow of migrants from Africa, with other centres planned for Senegal and Mauritania.

Deadly journey

Mr Michel is holding talks on the centres with Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure Mali the capital, Bamako.

Last year, 31,000 Africans made the hazardous sea crossing to the Canary Islands to enter the EU illegally, according to figures from the Spanish government. A further 6,000 died trying.

The countries on the EU's southern flank - Italy, Malta and Spain - have been pleading for help.

The EU is stepping up border patrols, both on land and at sea.

But it's also looking at ways of increasing legal migration - both to fill gaps in the European labour market and to reduce the number of migrants trying to enter the EU illegally.

If migrants leave with proper contracts and visas, this makes them less vulnerable to exploitation
Jean-Philippe Chauzy
International Organisation for Migration spokesman

The International Organisation for Migration, which assists migrants and governments around the world, says it's a "constructive step in the right direction."

"You can't manage migration flows by simply having tougher border controls," says IOM spokesman Jean-Philippe Chauzy. "If you're trying to undercut the people smugglers, the best way is to open up legal opportunities (for migrants)."

The working document on the African centres, obtained by the BBC, says the job centre project will be co-financed by the EU and member states, although it doesn't give any figures.

It says the centres, and matching supply and demand in the labour market, are an "integral part" of the European Commission's "Global Approach on Migration".

Relieving pressure

Initially the Malian job centre will be in Bamako, but later it will establish regional offices in outlying towns or villages, where migrants begin their journey.

But the idea goes far filling the gaps in the EU labour market. It's also aimed at relieving pressure on the EU by creating opportunities for Africans at home.

This is very strange, even a bit crazy
Polish MEP Jacek Protasiewicz

The European Commission wants the centre to include a micro credit facility - possibly run by the Grameen Bank, which pioneered the idea of small loans to help people out of poverty by allowing them to set up their own business.

The centre will also help the people who get jobs to get the necessary papers, including visas and residence permits.

"If migrants leave with proper contracts and visas, this makes them less vulnerable to exploitation," says Mr Chauzy. It also means they're likely to earn better wages and have more money to send home to help their families.

But while Mali may welcome the centre, others are less enthusiastic.

Priorities, priorities

"This is very strange, even a bit crazy" says centre-right Polish MEP Jacek Protasiewicz, author of a report in the European Parliament on the discrimination faced by workers from the post-Communist countries which joined the EU in 2004.

"The first thing the European Commission should do is to diminish barriers for the free movement of workers from within the EU, and then open job centres in other parts of the globe," he says.

Even now, people from countries like Poland, Slovakia and Lithuania - as well as Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the EU this year - can't work freely in all EU member states.

"Many millions of Poles, Lithuanians, Romanians (and others) would be happy to have low-skilled jobs in agriculture within the EU," he adds.

Skill shortages

But for Mali, as for many African countries, the brain drain is a serious problem.

It isn't just the low-skilled who are leaving: it's the doctors, the engineers and the IT specialists, even if some of them up end up working in jobs far below their qualifications.

"Ways of facilitating circular and temporary migration will be explored," says the working document on the job centres.

For example, a surgeon from Mali could work in the EU for a month or two a year, earn extra money, perhaps acquire some new skills and put those to use at home.

"Someone who's worked for a few years in the EU may have accumulated some capital and can identify opportunities in their country of origin where that capital can be invested and create wealth," says Mr Chauzy.

Remittances from migrants represent the biggest flow of money into many developing countries.

If some of that money can be invested to create jobs - rather than just helping families survive from one day to the next - it could make some potential African migrants think again about risking their savings and their lives on a dangerous journey to Europe and an uncertain future.

Do you think this initiative is a good idea? Is it a form of migration control? Will it stem the flow of illegal migrants? What should be done to create jobs in Africa? Would you apply for a job given the chance? Are you or your family migrant workers? Let us know your views and experiences using the form below.

A selection of your comments will be broadcast on the BBC's Focus on Africa programme on Saturday 10 February at 1700 GMT.

Name:
Email address:
Town and Country:
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Comments:

The only way to cope with illegal immigration from Africa into Europe is to suppress and suppress the dictators in Africa and create more jobs for the local masses.
Ntobo Valentine, Bamenda, Cameroon

Many Africans have been trying to escape to European countries, simply because most of the African leaders are not sensitive to their economic plights.
Samuel, Ibadan, Nigeria

This should be open to all African countries, because it will create another hazard of people travelling from other countries to go to may be Mali where only this service is set up. There should a website for all Africans to apply and selection should be balanced.
Nulu Nakitto, Manchester

I don't think this is a solution for the illegal African immigrants as the whole of Africa (excepting some countries) is poverty stricken. Africans travel from places as far as Bangui (central Africa) to the towns bordering Spain to enter the EU. So opening up job centres in Mali or Senegal will be of little importance.
Prem T Vazirani, Libreville, Gabon

Mr Protasiewicz seems to forget that Poland is at the moment suffering from a shortage on the labour market since most of our low skilled workers emigrated to the UK or Ireland. I am outraged that my country's politicians can't look further than the end of their own nose.
Joanna Bernacka, Poznan, Poland

Protasiewicz is spot on here - people from new EU countries like myself are running away from the blight of corruption, unemployment and economic and social mismanagement just like the Africans. And - no offence to those trying to swim across the Mediterranean - surely EU members should have priority over those that live outside of it?
Karol Tyszka, Poznan, Poland/Leeds, UK

The EU should not stop in north/west Africa let them also come down to east Africa.
Jane, Kampala, Uganda

What happens if an African diaspora wants to go back home and create job opportunities in his country by opening up a project and job opportunities to qualified and low skilled people back home? Will he have any assistance from the EU community or IOM? I have the intention of doing this next year so I need to be clear about this.
Oumar Camara, Menen, Belgium

This is a piecemeal measure and nothing short of leaving Africans dependent. I think that any policy making by the EU in immigration has to take development, human rights/minority rights, conflict resolution, democracy and the rule of law on board. Let's not forget that, like Europeans, Africans will prefer to stay in their home countries if they are guaranteed a stable economic, political and social life style as do the Europeans (after all it remains an irony why Africans should be poor).This can be realised if Europe can end its discriminatory trade policy towards developing countries and stop playing politics with African chronic dictators.
Emmanuel Yunji, Brussels

I think that this is a great step in the right direction. I know that this is not the ultimate answer, but I think that this is better than just shutting down borders. I think that this solution works both sides of the problem, even if it is small now, if it works, then I'm sure they will expand it. The U.S. could take a lot from the EU's example.
Kim P, Washington, DC, USA

This idea though good will not stop the brain drain Africa is facing. Creating jobs in Africa is a good start but there is more to it to persuade people not to migrate. Provision of better social services, better working conditions and eliminating political and religious suppression are amongst those things that would reduce the urge to migrate.
Sigismond Wilson, Sierra Leonean in USA


 
Posted : 08/02/2007 11:04 am
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