Introduction
This paper examines the mixed movement of people that is currently taking place between the East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region to the southern part of the continent. Stretching all the way from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia to South Africa's Atlantic coast, growing numbers of people are travelling the whole or part of this complex 4,500 kilometre route, travelling overland, by sea and (much less commonly) by air.
It is a difficult and dangerous journey that imposes a great deal of hardship on the people concerned and which exposes them to a variety of human rights and protection risks. At the same time, this mixed movement, much of which is irregular in nature and organized by human smugglers, is of growing concern to states, who regard it as a violation of their national laws as well as a threat to their sovereignty, security and economy.
This paper opens with a global perspective on these issues, defining the notion of mixed movements and explaining why in recent years it has attracted growing attention from the international community. The paper then goes on to provide an account of the mixed movements that are currently taking place to and within Southern Africa. The following part of the paper identifies some of the key policy and operational issues arising from this phenomenon, while the final section examines some recent approaches and initiatives that have been taken in relation to this matter.
