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African emigrants to Italy

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African emigrants to Italy
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African emigrants to Italy include Italian citizens and residents originally from Africa. Immigrants from Africa officially residing in Italy in 2015 numbered about 1,000,000 residents.[1] Afro-Italians (Afroitaliani) are Italians born in Africa but raised in Italy, Italian citizens of African descent, or of mixed African and Italian roots.

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In 2014, over 170,000 migrants arrived, which represented the biggest influx of people into one country in European Union history at the time.[2] A large percentage of them arrived via Africa.

African migrants specifically use Libyan coasts to travel across the Mediterranean Sea in large numbers, hoping to land on Italian shores.[2] Although departing from Libya, most are from Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Eritrea.[2] According to data from the UN Refugee Agency, over 66,000 migrants arrived to Italy via sea routes in 2024.[3] The route is dangerous and often unsuccessful; in 2024, 1,172 people died or went missing while crossing the Mediterranean and many of the other boats transporting the migrants from Africa to Italy were intercepted by the Libyan coast guard.[3] As this route has gained more and more attention throughout the years, smugglers have started to use alternate routes such as through Egypt, the Balkan route from Greece, and a very risky route from mountain passes in Albania.[4]

Job markets and economic opportunities represent a major driver of African immigration to Europe. However, a 2019 study also found issues pertaining to food insecurity, civil rights, and political instability significantly impacted outflow of migrants from African countries.[5] While European legislation concerning immigration flow has focused primarily on economic draws, these socio-political factors have also been shown to have a demonstrated impact.[5]

In 2016, Italy's finance minister pushed for financial compensation from the European Union for his country's financial losses because of mass migration.[4] As of 2016, the European Union had put forth 1.8 billion euros for the entirety of Africa's refugee efforts in Europe.[6]

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Countries of origin

North Africa

The largest group of immigrants from Africa are Arabs from North Africa, numbering 641,085 official residents in 2016.[1] By country of origin, most of these recent arrivals are from Morocco (437,485), Egypt (109,871), Tunisia (95,645) and Algeria (71,765). Italy also has a number of immigrants from Libya (1,819), a territory where Italian expatriates had a presence during the colonial period.

Sub-Saharan Africans

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Ghanaian immigrants in Milan

Compared to Maghrebis from North Africa, the percentage of Sub-Saharan Africans as a proportion of immigrants to Italy from Africa is 35.7% (370,068 official residents in 2015).[1] Most come from Nigeria (98,176), Senegal (77,264) and Ghana (48,637). There are also smaller numbers from Eritrea (9,579), from Ethiopia (8,000) and from Somalia (7,903).

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Discrimination

See also: Racism in Italy and Anti-African sentiment

African immigrants are discriminated against in Italy.[7]

Notable immigrants to Italy

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The following is a list of notable people of African birth who later immigrated to Italy and resided there, either wholly or at least part time.

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Community activists

  • Josephine Bakhita (c. 1869–1947), Catholic religious sister, born in Sudan; declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 2000
  • Michele Amatore (1826 - 1883), born in Sudan, enslaved in childhood, later freed and established in Italy; soldier and sharpshooter in Piedmontese army, attaining rank of captain. Decorated for distinguished service in Sicily during a cholera epidemic.
  • Adel Smith (1960–2014), controversial Italian anti-Christian activist. Born Emilio Smith in Alexandria, Egypt to an Italian father and an Egyptian mother; raised in Italy as a Catholic, he later converted to Islam
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See also

References

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