Commission on Population and Development session to conclude
The 55th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development will conclude today.
The Commission advises the Economic and Social Council of the UN on population issues and trends. One of the main concerns of the commission is monitoring international migration patterns. Africa has recently been at the center of this issue as Sub-Saharan Africa is home to a large population of intraregional migrants, with 21 million Africans living in another African country.
Most emigration occurs in West and East Africa with a combination of natural disasters and violent conflict being the primary drivers of migration on the continent. Complicating this, border closures related to COVID-19 severely restricted mobility and left tens of thousands of migrants stranded across Africa.
Recent coups have left many Sub-Saharan countries volatile, creating openings for Russian influence and military involvement in the Sahel region which has ties to France. Expect France and Russia to battle for influence in the region as France’s influence wanes. Counter-terrorism efforts and mass migrations are likely to be major security areas of concern. The UN has also been a stakeholder in the region as the UN Development Programme and the UN Economic and Social Council have both developed strategies to support the Sahel region.
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