2.a. Development of Distimct Corridors of Bilateral Flows

Question 1

What is the definition of Bilateral Flows/Corridors?

Answer 1

Bilateral flows in a migration context refer to the movement of people between two specific countries

Question 2

How have Bilateral Flows/Corridors changed?

Answer 2

Bilateral migration corridors shifted significantly between 1990 and 2017. Over the first decade of that period, between 1990 and 2000, seven of the ten bilateral corridors with the largest average annual increase in the number of international migrants had a country in the North as destination. The United States of America was the destination of five of the ten largest bilateral migration corridors during this period, with large numbers of international migrants originating from Mexico, India, China, the Philippines and Viet Nam. Mexico-to-USA was the largest bilateral migration corridor in the world, with an annual average of over 500,000 migrants born in Mexico being added to the population of the United States of America from 1990 to 2000.

Question 3

What are the reasons for the development of distinct bi-lateral corridors?

Answer 3

• Cost of travel - It has become cheaper to move between countries due to the increase of low budget airlines. Burkina Faso → Ivory Coast and Myanmar → Thailand
• Ease of access and communication - Due to increased globalisation it is easier for people to move in and between countries. Also, agreements such as the Schengen agreement and Asean which allows the free movement of people. Burkina Faso → Ivory Coast and Myanmar → Thailand
• Efficiency and cost of sending remittances - It has become a lot easier and cheaper for people to send back remittances to their country of origin. Pakistan is the 6th largest receiver of remittances globally. $20 billion in 2017. Pakistan → UAE + Saudi Arabia
• Employment opportunities - Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are trying to fill labour gaps such as construction with these migrants from the bi-lateral corridors. Laos → Thailand
• Established diaspora communities and networks - Family reunification where people are migrating to countries because they have a strong network of family and friends there. Botswana → South Africa
• Effects of conflict and persecution - Conflict and persecution of the Rohinja in Myanmar have caused them to move to countries like Bangladesh which are very close and have similar cultures.
• Migration policy (including economic unions like EU and Mercosur) and policy on refugees - Schengen Agreement which allows for free movement of people. In Canada they have agreed to take 10,000 Syrian refugees over a three-year period from 2015. There are some countries in Europe who are taking Syrian asylum applications for example Germany, Hungary and Sweden
• Former colonial influence - Former French colonial administration in Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso has led to a shared language, currency (West African CFA franc). These factors have meant that it is much easier for people of Burkinabe to travel to the more prosperous Ivory Coast. In short there are fewer intervening obstacles