The Commonwealth Games has put the Commonwealth in the spotlight again this year. Prior to the Games, it was the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2022 which was held in June in Kigali, which brought into sharp focus the relationship between the UK and the African Commonwealth states particularly regarding immigration.
With Rwandan President Paul Kagame taking over from the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the Chair-in-office in what was only the 8th time that CHOGM has been hosted in Africa, the coverage of the meeting focused on the controversy surrounding the Migration and Economic Development Partnership between the two countries. This detracts from the UK's own position towards immigration from African states compared to those from other regions even within the Commonwealth. It highlights a view that immigration from African states is something to be controlled rather than facilitated, much attention is not focused on prioritising formalised partnerships that facilitate reciprocal UK-Africa flows.
The UK's Youth Mobility Scheme Visa is a case in example. The route allows young people (normally) aged 18-30 years from specific countries to experience life in the UK by living and working in the UK and vice versa. A number of Commonwealth countries including the Overseas Territories are among the eligible countries that qualify for this visa. Recently, a generous iteration of the scheme was agreed between the UK and New Zealand which extends the eligible age range to 35 years, the length of stay to 3 years and removes the annual cap. This is quite similar to the Mobility arrangements for Australia.
Strikingly, African countries are so far not included in the list of eligible countries under this scheme. Considering the ties of friendship and history that exist between the UK and African Commonwealth countries, this is unfortunate. It signals a two-tiered approach by the UK towards members of the Commonwealth and an underlying assumption that Africa is a less desirable destination for outbound visits and inbound immigration.
Yet, with a large proportion of the largely youthful Commonwealth concentrated in Africa, African countries ought to be seen as worthy destinations for reciprocal exchanges. Despite challenges, increasing opportunities on the continent, in Fintech for example coupled with a rich cultural appeal suggest that British young people could be provided with opportunities for learning and the alignment of cultural values, in the same way that young Africans can both learn from and contribute to the UK.
Apprehensions about immigration from African citizens not returning can also be addressed by the design and inherent flexibility of the Youth Mobility Scheme. The ability to determine the number and age of participants, the length of stay and to impose additional requirements provides a mechanism for safeguarding the route. The additional education and work experience requirements associated with the mobility scheme for Indian nationals shows this is workable.
The list of currently eligible countries for the Youth Mobility Scheme is likely to grow as the UK develops mutually beneficial deals following its exit from the EU. The list should expand to include African countries. This starts with a positive attitude towards immigration from Africa and a recognition of the benefits this holds for the UK.