Michigan Journal of International Law Volume 3 Issue 1 1982 Refugees, Law, and Development in Africa Peter Nobel Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjil Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, Human Rights Law Commons, and the Immigration Law Commons Recommended Citation Peter Nobel, Refugees, Law, and Development in Africa, 3 MICH. J. INT'L L. 255 (1982). Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjil/vol3/iss1/12 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Michigan Journal of International Law at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Journal of International Law by an authorized editor of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Refugees, Law, and Development in Africa Peter Nobel* INTRODUCTION This article concerns those large movements of people in Africa, which have been called the "African refugee problem." However, large and in- triguing migrations of populations have occurred in Africa for centuries. The earliest migrations reflected the spread of culture, the growth of trade and the development of roving early kingdoms. The unique history behind the refugee dilemma, however, begins with the instability spawned by slave trading and colonialism. Sensitivity to these eras heightens an under- standing of why today's Africa is wrought with economic crises, territorial disputes, unnatural frontiers, misfit ethnic combinations, and more ref- ugees than any other continent. Against this background this article sur- veys the development of African refugee law and assesses current refugee situations on the continent.