Zimbabwe: Mired in Transition: Zimbabwe: Mired in Transition

7. Migration & Development Issues & some lessons for Zimbabwe

174 Introduction and background In2009,theUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)reported that every year more than five million people cross international borders to go and live in a developed country. The UNDP estimates that as of 2008, 214 million people or 3.1 per cent of the world’s population live and work outside their land of birth (UNDP, 2009). This figure may be an underestimate, since such figures often fail to capture what is termed ‘irregular migration’, that is, those who are undocumented and not reflected in national censuses. The UNDP further estimated that while 37 per cent of current international migrants move from developing to developed countries, around 60 per cent move between either developing or developed countries and three per cent from developed to developing countries. One interesting trend that is observed from data is that the vast majority of people migrate to a country with a higher Human Development Index (HDI) than their own. This is particularly so in the case of migrants from developing countries. Over 80 per cent of all migrants from developing countries relocate to countries with a higher HDI and, more interestingly, not to developed countries but rather to other developing countries with better employment prospects and living standards (Ibid.) than their own. The southern African migration experience would seem to fit into this pattern of movements. The major destination of African migrants is South Migration & Development Issues & some lessons for Zimbabwe Daniel Makina 7 175 Daniel Makina Africa which, although being a developing country, has a relatively higher HDI than other African countries. Thus, more often than not, a higher HDI is synonymous with better employment prospects. The Zimbabwean experience also seems to fit this movement pattern . The major destination for Zimbabwean migrants is South Africa, the continent’s economic powerhouse. Destinations also include neighbouring southern African countries as well as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. Estimates currently put the number of Zimbabweans living outside their homeland at between three and four million (UNDP, 2010). Out-migration as a result of economic collapse has had a negative impact on Zimbabwe’s human capital base, particularly on national training institutions. Since Independence, Zimbabweans have bene- fited from high standards of education, and receiving countries have been quick to seize upon the opportunity to make use of the skills Zimbabweans have acquired. Medical doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers , as well as large numbers of semi-skilled and unskilled workers, are now working in the diaspora. Despite the ongoing out-migration, which has continued despite the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in February 2009,1 it is widely acknowledged that once the political and economic climate in Zimbabwe normalises, the skills base currently in the diaspora could play a key role in helping to rebuild the country. It is also expected to play a developmental role in the transition to democracy. It is against this background that this chapter explores the migration –development debate in the context of Zimbabwe in transition. The migration and development debate Migration can affect economic development through three mechanisms , namely, changes in labour supply; changes in productivity; and migrants’ remittances. It is increasingly being recognised that such development gains are significant not only to origin countries but also to destination countries where migrant workers provide their labour. However, the extent of the development benefits from labour migration depends on the degree to which the migrants are protected and empowered both by the country of origin and the destination 176 MIGRATION & DEVELOPMENT countries. In other words, development gains from migration for the countries involved and the protection of migrant workers’ rights are inseparable. Migration contributes to development in origin countries by, among other things, alleviating pressures on labour markets, enabling the flow of remittances home, skills acquisition and investments by migrants, all of which help to reduce poverty. In destination countries, migrants contribute to development by meeting the demand for workers, increasing the demand for goods and services, particularly where they receive decent wages, and contributing their entrepreneurial skills. The most visible and tangible link between migration and development relates to the impact of remittances. There has been a notable increase in the global flow of remittances to developing countries over the years, the amount having risen from US$76 billion in 1999 to over US$300 billion by 2009. According to the World Bank, officially recorded remittances in 2009 stood at...