Alan Hirsch, a senior research fellow at the New South Institute (NSI), has contributed a significant analysis to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, published on 20 November 2024. Hirsch leads NSI’s Migration Governance Reform in Africa programme and is also a professorial research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies and emeritus professor of development policy and practice at the University of Cape Town.

His recent essay, part of a series edited by Stewart Patrick and jointly hosted by Carnegie’s Africa Program and its Global Order and Institutions Program, explores the critical juncture at which migration policy finds itself globally. Hirsch argues that while ageing populations in many high-income countries face labour shortages, restrictive migration policies − driven by political alarmism − are impeding viable solutions.

Drawing on recent data and historical trends, the piece challenges prevailing narratives of a so-called migration crisis. Hirsch calls for a reframing of global migration discourse, supported by increased investment in research focused on matching labour demand with supply across regions, particularly between Africa and Europe. He highlights the need for more empirical work that reflects the perspectives and priorities of both origin and destination countries, and critiques the dominant emphasis on deterrence and border enforcement.

The essay is particularly attentive to Africa’s position in the global migration landscape. Hirsch notes the continent’s growing efforts to promote intra-African mobility, even as many destination countries in the Global North pursue increasingly restrictive policies. He points to models such as Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker system and Spain’s new circular migration agreements as potential reference points for more equitable and sustainable labour mobility frameworks.The full article can be accessed on the Carnegie Endowment’s website. NSI encourages readers and policy practitioners to engage with this timely contribution to one of the defining governance challenges of our era.