The root causes of displacement in Africa and how transitional justice mechanisms can provide meaningful, displacement-sensitive solutions were the focus of a webinar hosted by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) on 29 July 2025.

Nyasha Mpani, Project Leader for the Data for Governance Alliance at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, participated as a panellist in the discussion. He contributed insights on how truth-telling, reparations, and institutional reforms can address the continent’s complex displacement challenges and ensure justice for displaced communities.

Speaking on the scale of migration intentions across Africa, Mpani cited findings from Afrobarometer’s 2024 survey conducted across 24 African countries. “Forty-seven percent of respondents have considered emigrating, a significant increase from 2016–2018 levels,” he said.

“Displacement in Africa is not just about borders; it’s about broken systems,” Mpani added, stressing that structural drivers of migration must be unpacked.

Among the leading reasons cited for migration were better job opportunities (49%) and Escaping poverty (29%). Other underlying drivers identified include governance challenges and political repression; youth unemployment; climate stress, such as droughts, floods and crop failure and social inequality and exclusion. These factors often intersect, creating complex pressures that force people to migrate. Such dynamics, the dialogue emphasised, must be considered in transitional justice frameworks.

Although Europe (29%) and North America (31%) remain top destinations for African migrants, 22% of potential migrants prefer to relocate within Africa. This underlines the need for stronger regional responses and more robust governance frameworks for intra-African migration.

Country-specific cases shared during the discussion included:

• Sudan: Ongoing conflict and state collapse have led to mass internal and cross-border displacement.
• Mozambique: Post-election violence and insecurity in Cabo Delgado that have triggered significant displacement.
• Zimbabwe: Economic instability continues to drive migration, particularly among youth and professionals, with many heading to South Africa.

Addressing the justice gap in current migration and displacement responses, Mpani highlighted a persistent flaw: “Displacement and migration are too often approached as humanitarian or border control issues rather than justice issues.”

He noted that while the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP) recognises root causes such as marginalisation and historical injustice, it lacks adequate integration of displacement realities. He pointed to the African Union’s Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) as a complementary instrument that emphasises durable solutions, social integration and rights-based mobility governance.

The case was made for greater convergence between the AUTJP and the MPFA. “Transitional justice must recognise displaced persons as rights-holders, not merely beneficiaries of aid,” Mpani said. “We must address the root causes, not just the symptoms.”

The IJR continues to advocate for the integration of migration data into truth-seeking and reparations processes. According to Mpani, a joint implementation of AUTJP and MPFA would allow African states to approach migration through a justice and development lens, grounded in the lived experiences of displaced people.

The dialogue emphasised the importance of centring justice, data and dignity in Africa’s migration policies, to move beyond crisis response and towards lasting solutions.