Conflict and Opportunistic Migration in the 21st Century. Challenges and way forward for Development Policy

Abstract

Migration, like trade remains a divisive topic amongst academics, policy makers and constituents in many areas around the world. While there is notable reluctance at the international level to engage in serious debate on the issue of migration, there is a tacit consensus on ‘sympathy’ towards streams of migrants displaced as a result of conflicts around the world. Such ‘sympathy’ is however not without criticism, as many authors question the contribution of often nationalistic and shortsighted migration policy amongst other issues (like trade) to the causes of conflicts, and subsequently the root cause of ‘forced migration’. When it does occur, debates on the advantages and disadvantages of migration often neglect the fundamental rights of the migrants, as they are often treated like mere pieces in a puzzle. The focus of this perspective study is therefore to examine a ‘smaller stream’ of migrants that move from conflict-stricken regions, not necessarily because they have been directly affected by conflict, but because conflicts provide opportunities for long-nursed migration plans to materialize. The paper zooms in on the ongoing Anglophone crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon as a case study, utilizing secondary data on asylum applications from the years 2021 to 2023 in the United states to show that early motivation, access to human and financial resources play an important role in determining the direction, route, and timing of migration. We contend that while this migration trend is unfortunate (it prevents authorities from capturing the real situation of those in actual need of assistance), it is a consequence of stringent migration policies in many host countries and the economic situation in home countries. We note that while this practice needs to be discouraged, the consequences on the global, national, and individual levels are not always negative. It therefore appeals to a more comprehensive migration reform at the national and international level, considering migration as an important tool for poverty alleviation in developing countries.