Recent agreements among African countries, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons and the Single African Air Transport Market, can enable greater intra-continental migration, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The authors of UNCTAD's Economic Development in Africa Report 2018 say migrants not only fill skills gaps in destination countries, but also contribute to development in their countries of origin, opening up new trade and investment opportunities that can help countries diversify their economies and move into higher-added-value productive activities. The report estimates that with other benefits including higher labour productivity and tax revenue, increased migration within Africa could help boost GDP per capita from $2,008 in 2016 to $3,249 in 2030.
