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Date: June 7, 2025
Cairo
Source: Al-Wafd Newspaper
Prof. Dr. Ali Mohammed Al-Khouri
Migration between continents is no longer a demographic phenomenon measured by numbers and percentages. Rather, it has transformed into a geopolitical and economic force reshaping the world according to the logic of the intersection of people and borders. The movement of individuals across international spaces is no longer a matter of asylum or a search for better opportunities; rather, it has become a process that recreates the meaning of the state, the nature of sovereignty, and the identity of societies. In light of the imbalance between centers of economic power and sources of population growth, migration emerges as an informal mechanism for redistributing human resources and intellectual energies, making it a fundamental factor in shaping the global future.
From an economic perspective, migration represents a driving force for growth in receiving countries, particularly those suffering from labor shortages, whether in advanced skills or service jobs that local populations are reluctant to employ. The experiences of a number of advanced economies indicate that migration flows have played a pivotal role in revitalizing industrial and service sectors that were on the verge of collapse and opening up new horizons for entrepreneurship. Migrants demonstrate a greater propensity to take risks and engage in innovative projects, driven by a direct connection to the need to rebuild self and belonging.
On the other hand, migration contributes to mitigating the effects of demographic decline facing many Western societies. In countries with declining birth rates and aging populations, migrants constitute a new demographic lifeline that rebalances the labor force and ensures the continuity of social systems that rely on the contributions of economically active individuals. This impact extends beyond the receiving countries to the countries of origin, where remittances are a vital source of support for local economies, leading to improved living standards and expanding consumer demand, stimulating local economic activity.
However, the picture is not that simple. With the influx of migrants, profound challenges emerge, not only economic, but also social tensions and political instability. In societies already suffering from fragile collective identity or rising nationalism, migration becomes a symbolic arena of conflict, reflecting fears of cultural assimilation or the undermining of the nation-state. This is accompanied by the rise of populist discourses that transform the migrant from a productive worker into a threatening “other,” linking their presence to every internal crisis, from economic recession to declining public security.
The challenges associated with the integration of migrants into new societies are not merely administrative; they lie in the invisible boundaries drawn by culture and politics. The absence of effective integration policies, or the weak recognition of qualifications and skills, can lead to long-term marginalization and produce economically and culturally isolated populations, increasing the risk of social anger and political violence. Conversely, brain drain from developing countries also produces a complex cycle of inequality, as human capital migrates from where it is most needed, leaving structural gaps in these countries’ economies and deepening their dependency.
The political dimension of migration touches on the sovereignty and legal identity of states. With the increasing waves of forced migration resulting from armed conflict and climate change, states’ ability to manage borders and asylum policies is being constantly tested. This creates a tension between the demands of sovereignty on the one hand and international human rights obligations on the other, an equation that even the most advanced political systems have yet to resolve in a way that balances realism and moral responsibility.
In the foreseeable future, migration is likely to become a pivotal factor in defining the new international order. This is not because the number of migrants will necessarily increase, but because our ability to manage it will reorder global policy priorities. States will need more flexible and innovative models for managing human flows, based on a deeper understanding of the relationships between development and security, between the market and the state, and between identity and belonging. International cooperation on migration will become an indispensable necessity, not only for controlling borders, but also for formulating sustainable mechanisms for resettlement, ensuring human dignity, and developing smart digital tools that regulate human movement without compromising fundamental freedoms.
Technology is also likely to play a more influential role, not only in tracking migrants or managing borders, but also in creating new patterns of digital migration, where work becomes transnational without physical movement. This change will pose new legal challenges related to nationality, citizenship, taxation, and labor rights, and raise unprecedented questions about the meaning of belonging in an age of mobile identities.
Finally, migration is a living reflection of the transformations of this turbulent world. It is a mirror that reflects the contradictions of the world in which we live, revealing the depth of its inequalities, and also expressing a profound human aspiration to seek opportunity, security, and dignity. The way we deal with this phenomenon in the coming years will define the contours of the international order and reveal the values upon which we want to build this world. Either we continue to build borders and a world governed by barriers, or we reconstruct the concept of politics based on understanding, pluralism, and openness to others.
