SIHMA Press Review for October 2025
Africa
People smugglers enriched in Niger’s Agadez after junta dumps EU migration deal
The Africa report
28 October 2025
In 2023, Niger’s junta repealed its anti‑migration law, reviving Agadez as a hub for irregular migration. Smugglers quickly resumed business, exploiting desperate migrants with high fees, extortion, and dangerous routes. Once a tourism center, Agadez’s economy now thrives on smuggling, with networks stretching into Libya where many migrants face detention, forced labour, and abuse. Officials warn the repeal mainly benefits smugglers and corrupt associates, leaving migrants vulnerable in what has become a “smugglers’ paradise.”
Uganda’s Housing Crunch Worsens as Affluent Refugees Move In
Global Press Journal
27 October 2025
Aisha, a Sudanese refugee, lives with her family in Kampala’s Kyanja suburb, renting a $1,000 apartment funded by her father. While affluent refugees have boosted local business growth, their ability to pay high rents has displaced Ugandans like teacher Mukasa, who had to move farther out after costs doubled. Uganda, hosting 1.9 million refugees, faces a housing deficit worsened by landlords and brokers exploiting demand, leaving locals squeezed as competition for affordable homes intensifies. For Aisha, though, her home offers safety and continuity amid upheaval.
Link: https://globalpressjournal.com/africa/uganda/ugandas-housing-crunch-worsens-affluent-refugees-move/
After fleeing violence, refugees in Ethiopia struggle with hunger
WFP
27 October 2025
Nyibol and her children fled South Sudan to Ethiopia’s Gambella Region, joining 70,000 new arrivals among 440,000 refugees already there. Severe funding cuts have forced WFP to slash food rations to just 1,000 calories a day, driving malnutrition and hardship. While newcomers still receive full support, aid agencies warn resources will run out by year’s end, leaving families like Nyibol’s and fellow mother Nyantut’s in desperate need of food, shelter, and safety.
Link: https://www.wfp.org/stories/after-fleeing-violence-refugees-ethiopia-struggle-hunger
Southern Africa
Mozambique wants border posts with Zambia and Zimbabwe under public-private concession
Club of Mozambique
28 October 2025
Mozambique plans to modernize the Cassacatiza and Machipanda border posts with Zambia and Zimbabwe through public‑private partnerships. The projects aim to harmonize customs and migration procedures, implement a one‑stop border model, and boost regional trade. Authorities say the upgrades will ease movement, raise revenue, strengthen security, and enhance competitiveness along transport corridors.
A new dawn for children on the move in southern Africa
Unicef Zimbabwe
27 October 2025
At the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa in Victoria Falls, leaders stressed protecting children affected by migration. UNICEF reported 8.8 million displaced by climate events between 2017 and 2023, while IOM emphasized making migration safe and productive. Experts called for stronger legal frameworks, funding for social services, and cross‑border coordination to ensure children’s rights to education, healthcare, and protection. Closing the meeting, UNICEF’s Alison Parker affirmed: “Every child on the move deserves to be seen, safe, and protected.”
Link: https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/stories/new-dawn-children-move-southern-africa
“Remember we exist”, refugees in Malawi say as aid is slashed
The New Humanitarian
20 October 2025
Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, home to 56,000 people, faces deep uncertainty as UNHCR funding cuts force services to shut down and staff to leave. Once sustained by food, healthcare, and education support, refugees now survive on minimal rations and fear the collapse of aid. Youth programmes have ended, crime and exploitation are rising, and hopes of resettlement have faded. Despite despair, families continue daily routines, clinging to fragile hope that the world will remember them.
South Africa
Ethiopian quarter: how migrants have shaped a thriving shopping district in South Africa’s city of gold
The Conversation
26 October 2025
Johannesburg’s Ethiopian Quarter has transformed abandoned inner‑city buildings into over 3,000 small shops, creating a bustling cross‑border trading hub. Ethiopian and Eritrean migrants pioneered this enclave, supplying fast fashion and goods through Chinese wholesalers to traders across southern Africa. Despite hostile policing and crime, they rely on strong networks and adaptive spaces to survive. The district generates huge turnover, estimated at US$600 million annually, yet remains under‑recognized, showing how migrant entrepreneurship can drive urban regeneration and regional trade.
South Africa extends Zimbabwean exemption permits to 2027 amid regional migration debate
Business Insider Africa
09 October 2025
South Africa has extended Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) by 18 months, protecting 178,000 holders from arrest or deportation while long-term policy is reviewed. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the move ensures stability, but ActionSA criticized it as indecisive. The decision has reignited debates on migration and the economic pressures driving Africans across borders.
South Africa spends millions deporting illegal immigrants
Defence Web
7 October 2025
South Africa deported 51,650 illegal immigrants in 2024/25 at a cost of R78.1 million, nearly 11,000 more than the previous year. Deportations rose sharply from 22,560 in 2022/23 to 39,627 in 2023/24, reflecting stronger enforcement through collaboration between Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, and the police.
Categories:
Tags:
- Economic Development
- #resilience
- Exploitation
- Housing Shortage
- Security
- Regional Integration
- Climate Crisis
- Child Protection
- Public‑private Partnerships
- Cross‑border Trade
- Informal Economy
- Urban Regeneration
- Food Insecurity
- Humanitarian Aid
- Deportation
- Border Control
- Displacement
- Asylum
- Refugees
- Migration