October 14-15, 2022, Banjul, The Gambia - The Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), the Hon. Commissioner Maya Sahli Fadel organized a meeting of the Expert Consortium working on the study of African responses to the issue of migrants and their protection in Africa and the development of African guidelines on the human rights of all migrants.
The meeting was organized within the framework of Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights based on the promotion mandate of the Commission (African Charter), and had two main objectives:
- Review the draft study on African responses to the issue of migrants and their protection in Africa, and;
- Review the draft guidelines on the protection of the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.
During the two-day meeting, the expert members of the consortium formed by the Special Rapporteur discussed the form and content of the two drafts presented by the two consultants in charge of drafting these two documents.
Numerous amendments and clarifications were proposed concerning the scope of the study and its limitations.
The timetable for the finalization of this project was also discussed and concrete proposals were made, including the posting of the two documents on the Commission's website after the inclusion of various amendments for external consultation.
The meeting was attended by the Director of the International Migrants Bill of Rights Initiative (IMBR), representatives of the AUC, IOM, academics, government experts and other partners working in the field of migration.
The Honourable Commissioner Maya Sahli Fadel, with the assistance of experts and staff from the Commission's Secretariat, led the proceedings.
In her closing remarks, she commended the efforts made by the members of the consortium throughout the two-day meeting and recalled the timetable adopted for the finalization of the study and the Guidelines in the first quarter of 2023.
She also expressed the hope that the Study and Guidelines would be adopted by the Commission at its next regular closed session, with a view to the possible launch of both documents at the next regular public session of the Commission.
The meeting and the current project are funded by the European Union (EU) under the EU/AGA 2021-2023 support project.
Banjul, 23 October 2022
For more information, please contact contacterau-banjul@africa-union.org
Secretariat, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
31 Bijilo Annex Lay-out, Kombo North District Western Region.
PO Box 673
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: 220 4410505/6
Fax: 220 4410504
E-mail: au-banjul@africa-union.org
