Migration is a complex concept that has been associated with negative connotations in recent decades, however international attention is now moving away from its negative effects towards the awareness that it has the potential to contribute to the sustainable development of both the countries of origin and the host countries of migrants (IMO). There has been rapid growth in external and regional migration in Africa in recent decades. According to data from the World Bank's bilateral migration matrix in 2010, it was estimated that approximately 30.6 million Africans (3% of the world's population) lived in countries other than their country of birth. France is the popular destination, followed by Ivory Coast (8%), South Africa (6%), Saudi Arabia (5%) and the United States (4%). Being collected in 2010, this data may not actually reflect the current migration flow as it has grown since then. With this constant growth in population movement, does this migration enhance or hinder Africa's development? Before addressing the above question it is important to define what is meant by regional migration and external migration in this context. Regional migration refers to migration from one country to another within the African continent. International migration, on the other hand, is the movement of people from their countries in Africa, to countries outside the continent who intend to prolong their stay there (IOM). These types of migration can help or hinder development, depending on the vision you adopt. There are two opposing views: the “balanced growth approach” and the “systematic view”. This essay will examine these approaches in order to reach a conclusion on the question of whether migration promotes or hinders the development of Africa... half of the paper... li must be a key part in the community's decision-making process and have control over the own income (Deshingkar and Grimm, 2005). However, for some women, migration can have terrible effects. Anbesse (2009) conducted a study on Ethiopian migrant women in the Middle East using focus groups. Women working as domestic workers described inhumane working conditions, physical and sexual abuse, and denial of basic freedoms. This has led to mental illnesses such as depression. Everyone knew of others who had suffered physical abuse, sometimes resulting in injury, permanent disability or even death. In conclusion, there is no clear answer as to whether migration totally promotes or hinders development. This is because there are both advantages and obstacles to development, as highlighted in the essay. Works Cited Deshingkar and Grimm, 2005