MoveAfrica

In 2018, the African Union (AU) introduced the Free Movement Protocol (AU FMP) to help tackle migration challenges and support continental unity through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). This effort is led by the AU’s Information and Communication Department (AU ICD) and backed by various AU bodies and partners, including the AU Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (AU HHS), the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), journalists, content creators, experts, and civil society groups. Progress is being made. More African countries are adopting e-visa and visa-free travel policies, showing a shift toward greater economic integration. However, negative stories about migration still dominate the news, often hiding the benefits. In reality, most migration within Africa happens between neighboring countries and helps millions of people. The AU FMP and related policies promote safe, well-managed migration that supports development not uncontrolled movement. Clearing up misunderstandings is essential to moving these policies forward and achieving the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The vision: A united and connected Africa where free movement is seen as a key driver of shared success, cultural richness, and understanding. We imagine a continent where migration stories focus on positivity, opportunity, and inclusion helping turn AU Agenda 2063 into reality.

About MoveAfrica

The Mission Statement of MoveAfrica “Promote, inform, and advocate for inclusive and meaningful migration narratives in Africa”. The goal is to support the implementation of AU migration policies like the Free Movement Protocol (AU FMP) and address misconceptions by emphasizing the potential of migration to drive economic growth, regional integration, and social cohesion. The MOVE AFRICA project builds on previous efforts to reshape migration narratives by encouraging dialogue and storytelling that highlight the benefits and complexities of labor migration. Through this approach, the project seeks to foster a more inclusive understanding of migration, driving a shift in perceptions and laying the foundation for a more unified and integrated continent.

Objectives of Move Africa

What is the MOVE AFRICA project and its objectives. MOVE AFRICA works to change how people talk about migration across the continent. Instead of focusing on fear or crisis, the project promotes a more balanced and positive understanding of why people move and how labor mobility benefits everyone. The goal is to support the implementation of AU migration policies like the Free Movement Protocol (AU FMP) and address misconceptions by emphasizing the potential of migration to drive economic growth, regional integration, and social cohesion. The theory of change, is one of the objectives of Move Africa and its to counter negative migration narratives in Africa, the project’s Theory of Change promotes accurate storytelling by skilled media, supported by alliances and capacity building. This approach aims to shift public perceptions, encourage policy adoption like the AU FMP, and position migration as key to Africa’s integration and socio-economic growth. Through impactful storytelling and informed discourse, we aspire to create a paradigm shift in how migration is perceived and implemented, paving the way for a future where every African can move more easily and safely move across borders, harnessing the full potential of our diverse and dynamic continent. How we create change: One of the project’s key objectives is to counter negative stories about migration. Our approach:

Support skilled media professionals to tell accurate, human stories.
Build alliances and strengthen local capacity.
Shift public opinion in favor of open, well-managed movement.

The bigger vision: By changing the narrative, we hope to encourage governments to adopt policies like the AU FMP and see migration as a powerful tool for Africa’s integration and growth. Through powerful storytelling and honest discussion, we aim to transform how migration is understood—so that one day, every African can move across borders more easily and safely, unlocking the full potential of our diverse continent.

Expected Outcomes

Awareness enhancement: The project aims to enhance understanding of the AU's migration frameworks and FMP, promoting a balanced perspective on migration.
Diversified narratives: Amplify a variety of perspectives, especially from women, youth, and marginalized communities, to ensure a rich and inclusive discourse on migration and free movement.
Media capacity building: Enhance the skills of African journalists and content creators for accurate and comprehensive reporting on migration, focusing on human stories and policy impacts.
Impactful content creation: Produce and disseminate high-quality, engaging multimedia content that effectively communicates the benefits, challenges, and realities of (labour) migration and free movement in Africa.

Key Facts

Intra-African Migration Is Dominant: Over 80% of African migration occurs within the continent. Most migrants move to neighboring countries due to work, education, family reunification, and safety.
Labor Mobility Is a Major Driver: Economic opportunities are the main reason for migration in Africa. Migrants contribute significantly to agriculture, construction, mining, and informal economies in host countries.
Young People Are the Majority: Most African migrants are between 15–35 years old, making migration a youth-led phenomenon. Migration provides young people with access to skills, jobs, and networks that they often can't find at home.
African Migration Is Not a Crisis: Contrary to popular narratives, African migration is largely orderly, voluntary, and beneficial. Only a small percentage of Africans migrate to Europe or other continents (~11%).
Remittances Are a Lifeline: In 2023, African migrants sent over $55 billion in remittances back home. These funds help reduce poverty, support education, and boost local economies.
Forced Displacement Exists but Is Localized: Conflicts, climate change, and disasters have displaced millions, but most displaced people remain within their country or sub-region.
Free Movement Is a Continental Goal: The African Union's Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, adopted in 2018, aims to facilitate visa-free travel, work, and residence for Africans across the continent.
Migration Supports Development Goals: Migration aligns with Agenda 2063 and the SDGs by enabling mobility of talent, remittances, and regional integration. Diaspora communities play a key role in knowledge transfer, investment, and innovation.

Stakeholders / Target Audience

Stakeholders • Africa No Filter • Baraza Media Lab • The Continent • Youth Hub Africa • African Women in Media (AWiM) Target Audience • General public • Young Africans (18-35 years) • Policymakers, government officials, and lawmakers • Media professionals • CSO’s and educational institutions

Selected Content

Press Release Move Africa Press Release The Continent https://www.thecontinent.org/_files/ugd/287178_c279b67ee2e2431d8cdb77b3… https://www.thecontinent.org/_files/ugd/287178_e0bc39d5e6654b8086f12211… https://www.thecontinent.org/_files/ugd/287178_6708f85a6c094e948d2d12c6… https://www.thecontinent.org/_files/ugd/287178_5b68202d227c438288289b2a… https://www.thecontinent.org/_files/ugd/287178_34fef0e23d504b7caf34c82a… Youth Hub Africa https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHoMpjVou4K/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link… https://www.instagram.com/reel/DITPm7UI2cV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link… https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ05cfEInez/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&ig… https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKKrMPgsUi6/?igsh=b29wbHlya3FnbTk= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJalPtXeBHk African Women in Media (AWiM) https://awimnews.com/moving-markets-how-women-traders-transform-the-nig… https://migrantnarrativesafrica.com/narratives/hope-beyond-borders-how-… https://awimnews.com/through-her-eyes-the-untold-contributions-of-afric… https://youtu.be/2io36lshB1E https://awimnews.com/west-africas-borderless-women-inside-the-yoruba-si… Africa No Filter (ANF) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DK152x-oWYz/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqigvJHGhbA https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHgaVPoi5Fg/

Agenda 2063

Flagship Projects

Integrated High Speed Train Network

Connecting African capitals and commercial centers through a High-Speed Train Network; facilitating the movement of goods, factor services and people as well as reducing transport costs and relieving congestion of current and future systems through increased rail connectivity.

African Commodities Strategy

Transforming Africa from a raw materials supplier by enabling countries to add value, extract higher rents from commodities, integrate into global value chains promote diversification anchored in value addition and local content development.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

The African Passport & Free Movement of People

Removing restrictions on Africans’ ability to travel, work and live within their own continent by transforming restrictive laws and promoting visa free travel to enhance movement of all African citizens in all African countries.

Silencing the Guns by 2020

Ending all wars, civil conflicts, gender-based violence, violent conflicts and preventing genocide in the continent by 2020.

The Grand Inga Dam Project

Generating an estimated 43,200MW of power to support current regional power pools and their combined service to transform Africa from traditional to modern sources of energy and ensure access to clean and affordable electricity.

Single African Air-Transport Market

Promoting intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa by creating a single unified air transport market in Africa, as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda.

African Economic Forum

Multi-stakeholder meeting bringing together the Africa’s policy makers, private sector, academia and civil society to reflect on accelerating Africa’s socio- economic development and transformation by harnessing its vast resources.

African Financial Institutions

Accelerating integration and economic development through the establishment of organisations which will play a pivotal role in the mobilization of resources and management of the African financial sector.

The Pan African e-Network

Transforming Africa into an e-Society by implementing policies and strategies that lead to transformative e-applications and services in Africa such as broad band terrestrial infrastructure, cyber security and revolutionary bio and nanotechnology industries.

Africa Outer Space Strategy

Strengthening Africa’s use of outer space to bolster development in critical sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, remote sensing, climate forecast, banking and finance, defense and security.

African Virtual & e-University

Using ICT based programmes to increase access to tertiary and continuing education in Africa by reaching large numbers of students and professionals in multiple sites simultaneously.

Cyber Security

Incorporating emerging technologies in Africa’s development plans and ensuring these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions and nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online.

Great African Museum

Preserving and promoting African cultural heritage by creating awareness of Africa’s vast, dynamic and diverse cultural artefacts and Africa’s continuing influence on world cultures in art, music, language, science, and so on.

Encyclopaedia Africana

Provide an authoritative resource on the authentic history of Africa and African life.

NOW

Related Content

Agenda 2063

Key Resources