Host State Security and Refugee Movements in Africa

Abstract

While it is widely understood that refugees flee their homes and seek asylum in another country because they are victims of insecurity, can refugee movements and the prolonged presence of refugees cause security concerns for host states? Host states, in both the global North and South, now cite a wide range of security concerns as a justification for placing limits on the asylum they offer. Host states in Africa have been among the most vocal about the security implications of hosting refugees, especially since the fall of the Mobutu regime in 1996. African states have argued that the arrival of refugees is associated with sources of insecurity ranging from armed elements in refugee camps, the spillover of conflict, and even the spread of disease. But these concerns are not new. During the Cold War, refugee movements were closely associated with a range of security concerns as so-called refugee warriors played a significant role in proxy conflicts throughout the Third World. Since the end of the Cold War, however, responses to the security implications of refugee movements have changed. While refugee movements as a consequence of insecurity may be evident, these changing dynamics highlight the importance of also considering if and how refugee movements may be a cause of state insecurity.