This report comprises part of the ILO working paper series International Migration Papers
that disseminates current research findings on global migration trends and seeks to stimulate
dialogue and policy development on issues of regulating labour migration.
The importance and immediacy of better regulating labour migration in Africa motivated the
ILO to establish a programmatic Africa Labour Migration Initiative in 2002. The evident
starting point for this initiative was to expand the knowledge base as a proper foundation for
effective technical cooperation and practical activity. As a result, this report comprises one
of a special series of 31 regional and national studies from East, West and Maghreb Africa
being published in 2006 as International Migration Papers starting with IMP number 74,
and/or posted on the Project website1.