The Director of the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS), University of Ghana, Prof. Mary Boatemaa Setrana, has delivered a presentation at the 9th Pan-African Forum on Migration (PAFoM IX), held in Cape Town, South Africa, contributing to high-level continental discussions on the future of migration governance in Africa.
PAFoM IX brought together Directors-General, Heads of Immigration, policymakers, academics, and migration experts from African Union (AU) Member States under the theme “Leveraging Technology for Efficient Human Mobility and Trade in Africa.” The forum focused on how digital innovations can strengthen border management, enhance human mobility, and support regional and continental integration.
In her presentation, Prof. Setrana highlighted the importance of evidence-based migration governance, emphasising the need to align digital border management initiatives with African realities, policy priorities, and social contexts. She stressed the critical role of research institutions in generating knowledge that supports inclusive, secure, and interoperable migration systems across the continent.
She further underscored CMS’s long-standing engagement in migration research, policy advisory work, and capacity building, noting that academic research must remain central to advancing the African Union’s migration agenda, including Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons.
PAFoM IX also reviewed progress made since the Eighth Pan-African Forum on Migration (PAFoM VIII) in 2023, which identified outdated border management systems as key barriers to mobility and trade. Discussions at the forum called for accelerated digitalisation, automation, and regional interoperability to improve border efficiency while safeguarding security.
A major outcome of the forum was the transition of leadership of the Pan-African Forum on Migration from Botswana to South Africa, alongside renewed commitments to deploy technologies such as biometric systems, electronic travel authorisations, and integrated border platforms.
The forum will conclude with the adoption of an outcome document and the commemoration of International Migrants Day on 18 December, including the launch of the Africa Visa Openness Index Report 2025.
CMS’s participation in PAFoM IX reinforces the Centre’s position as a leading African hub for migration research and policy engagement, contributing scholarly insights to continental migration dialogues and shaping evidence-driven responses to Africa’s mobility challenges
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