Week 1: Wednesday 3 April 2024

This workshop will explore the contemporary role of the Global Refugee Regime in Africa. It is linked to the launch of a new Special Issue of the Refugee Survey Quarterly, with several of the authors presenting their work. The workshop will investigate the role of global and regional frameworks and initiatives, and how they interact with protection needs and mobility on the ground. It will also act as a foundation for further exploration and discussion on key themes in later sessions.

Questions to be discussed

  • What is the relevance of the Global Refugee Regime in Africa today?
  • How should we understand ‘regional’ in the context of Global Refugee Regime?
  • In global initiatives like the Global Compacts, what impact do labels such as ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ have on how protection is offered to displaced persons?
  • What role does mobility play in protection for displaced persons on the continent?

Speakers

  • Refugee/migrant binary in South Africa – Dr Kudakwashe Vanyoro (Wits University, South Africa)
  • Egypt’s response to refugees - Elena Habersky and Amira Hetaba-Sabry (The American University in Cairo)
  • Borders and boundaries in urban mobility practices of refugees in Cape Town – Dr Tamuka Chekero (University of Cape Town)

Discussant

Chair

  • Prof Jo Vearey, The African Centre for Migration & Society, University of the Witwatersrand