Migration between Commonwealth Countries of Africa

Abstract

Twelve states in Africa are currently members of the Commonwealth. They comprise its largest intra-continental group in area though not in population. Each of the twelve has a relatively similar experience within the last century of having been a dependent colony, protectorate or mandated/trusteeship territory under administrative and economic control from Britain. Each has become independent within the last twenty years, beginning with Ghana in 1957 and ending with Swaziland in 1967. Each has a similar experience of international migration. The emphasis has been very much on migration within Africa between one country and another, though examples of long-distance, intercontinental, migration may be cited to and from each state. In this important respect, therefore, the African experience is quite different from that of the Commonwealth countries in the Indian sub-continent and in the Caribbean from where there has been major inter-continental emigration, particularly to Britain.