Migration policy framework for Africa and plan of action (2018 – 2030) displacement have emerged, whereby refugees or IDPs are displaced for prolonged periods of time, without immediate prospects for durable solutions, which would allow them to return to their homes, integrate fully into host communities, or settle elsewhere. In recent times calls for developing durable solutions for displaced populations in Africa have increased. Significant internal migratory movements, such as rural-urban migration, add to the complexity of Africa’s migration landscape. African cities have experienced rapid urban growth. As the fastest urbanising continent, its rate of urbanisation has soared, rising from 15 per cent in 1960 to 40 per cent in 2010, with Africa’s urban population forecast to triple over the next 50 years. 11,12 This massive population shift will transform the region, creating profound opportunities and challenges for regional, national and local policy makers. Industrialisation and urbanisation are considered mutually reinforcing processes, which is of particular relevance to Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030, both of which recognise urbanisation as a critical factor for sustainable development. While urbanisation is a natural consequence of development, the rapid growth of urban populations can strain existing urban infrastructure, services, the environment and the social fabric of cities. It is also noteworthy that international migration in Africa takes place mainly to cities, whether as part of a process of step migration, or as a final destination. The integration of refugees and migrants into host communities is challenged by concerns among urban dwellers that the new population will usurp jobs, lower wages, strain social systems and change national identities and cultural values. Therefore, local authorities need to be equipped with the necessary resources to manage their increasingly complex societies, facilitate the social integration of migrants and protection of their rights, including against xenophobia, and sexual and gender based violence, and harness the development contribution that migrants can make to urban centres. Thus the local dimension of migration policies and strategies need to be strengthened. This will involve incorporating the role of cities into national migration strategies, mainstreaming migration management into national urban policies, integrating migration into local development planning, and deepening understanding of the diverse local political economies that interplay with local policy implementation. Furthermore, emigration from Africa has increased substantially in the last decades in absolute terms, but the proportion of emigrants to total population is currently one of the lowest in the world, though with variations across countries. 13 However, demographic imbalances between different parts of the world is expected to intensify, with Africa’s young population expected to count 2.4 billion people by 2050, and Europe’s ageing population projected to lose about 30 million of its total of 738 million people by 2050. 14 Migration flows to Europe and other developed countries can therefore be expected increase, which can yield development benefits for Africa, if properly managed through, 11 https://unhabitat.org/urban-initiatives/initiatives-programmes/africa-urban-agenda-programme 12 While rural-urban migration is an important factor in urbanisation, it plays a less significant role in urban growth, which is typically dominated by natural population growth. 22 13 AU, 2016, Evaluation Report of the AU Migration Policy Framework, p.13. 14 UN (2017) Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Migration, p.12.