In the last two weeks nearly two thousand migrants mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, headed to Europe, have been rescued by the Libyan coastguard. The western coast of Libya is the main departure point for thousands of migrants fleeing wars and poverty and trying to reach Europe.

EU leaders hope to stop this migration attempt by financing countries like Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia to hold people until their eligibility for asylum can be established. There is even a proposal that the migrants be placed in "closed centers on European soil" as their eligibility for asylum is processed.

On its part, Africa must address the push and pull factors and create a professional procedure that will strike a balance. It is no secret that most of Europe’s aging population needs labour. Africa could identify such an opportunity, and many others, equip its population with skills that will answer to the needs and officially align its human resource to the labour centers. Sustainable economic development, country stability and transforming of Africa’s demographic growth into an advantage will go a long way to tackle migration.