COUNTRY CONTEXT
The year 20 16 has still been one of slow recovery from the five-year political crisis (2009-20 14). The country's holding ofthe COMESA's Heads of State Summit in October 20 17, and the International Summit of Ia Francophonie in November 20 16 have been unanimously saluted as successes that have put Madagascar back on the map.
In 20 16, the economic situation has seen an improvement from the year before. Gradually growing, the Malagasy economy is projected to continue its growth thanks to its expansion in the tertiary sector, public works programs, and the recovery of the primary sector, followed by favorable weather conditions and higher vanilla prices. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 4.1% in 20 16, exceeding the average rate of 2.6% recorded over the past five years, according to the World Bank.
However, with 90% poverty rate, Madagascar's development challenges remain vast. Madagascar's education, health, and nutrition outcomes remain some of the lowest in the world, with one in two children under the age of five suffering from chronic malnutrition.
These factors have led to an increasing number of Malagasy nationals to seek opportunities abroad. As a positive agent for development, labour migration can also present challenges to ensuring that the rights of migrants are protected and migration management is concerted.
As a consequence of poor labour migration management, Madagascar still factors as an important source country for human-trafficking. The 20 16 United States State Department's Trafficking in Persons (TiP) Report declassed Madagascar to its Tier-2 Watch, indicating the high proliferation of exploitation both internally and transnationally. Within Madagascar, TiP takes the form of domestic servitude, prostitution, forced begging, and forced labor, both in rural and urban areas. Internationally, Malagasy women and men have been trafficked for sexual exploitation, as well as exploitation in textile factories and in the fishing industry.
Effective and efficient immigration and border management remains essential to ensure border security, reinforce the fight against transnational organized crime, and enhance protection of vulnerable migrants. With thousands of kilometers of coast line, effective immigration control, and border management remains a challenge in Madagascar.
The health of migrants should be closely monitored and promoted under public health strategies. The potential health hazards associated to migration are evident in the South Western Indian Ocean region. The Island States are currently experiencing an increase in migration trends which offers many benefits to businesses but also presents a unique set of challenges to sending and receiving states, as well as to migrants.
In Madagascar, it is estimated that more than I 00,000 people move from rural areas to the capital city, Antananarivo, every year.Unplanned urbanization impacts local development capacities, and it is estimated that between sixty to seventy percent of all settlements in the capital comprise of informal constructions in slum like conditions.
Inter- and intra-regional mobility between rural areas are not well documented but has received increasing attention in the last year, with concerns focusing on environmental degradation reported to be caused by new settlements, unregulated mining activities, and other forms of natural resources exploitation; and more generally on local capacities of social inclusion.
Madagascar remains one of the most economically impacted countries in the world from natural disasters and one of the most likely to be negatively affected by climate change. In 2016, the "Grand Sud" of Madagascar continued to suffer from a prolonged drought, and food insecurity has driven migration from the area.
Given its socio-economic realities, relative isolation in the Indian Ocean, diverse geography, fragile natural ecosystems, and its largely porous coastline, Madagascar presents complex migration challenges and opportunities today and for the future.