The role of diplomacy in dealing with migration in the Southern African region

Abstract

Migration significantly affects politics in ways that transcend domestic policymaking, such as in the field of international diplomacy, or the manner in which nations negotiate and manage their affairs with one another and with other actors such as international and non-governmental organisations. Evidence implies that free movement exists to some degree in SADC. On paper, people from SADC member states can relatively freely travel within the region without any stringent visa requirements. However, agreements that are signed and the reality at border posts vary significantly. Moreover, the circular migration patterns in the SADC region demand, robust diplomatic actions, common strategies for resilience and the responsiveness of governments in the region. This study provides a comparative overview of state centrism (realism) and non-state centrism (liberalism) while paying attention to migration management and flow as expressed by state and non-state actors. Even with the rising interest in the involvement of non-state actors in migration governance and the collaboration that ensues, the literature available on their involvement in regional migration governance and their co-existence with states is still limited. The arguments and analysis presented in this study seek to address this gap. It adds to the body of literature by evaluating the dynamics, the network of interconnections, and underlying interests driving actors in migration policy processes. It also explores how the state and non-state actors engage to achieve respective policy objectives, which may be consistent or contradictory depending on the underlying interests.