Ministers Address Labor Migration in East and Horn of Africa

Addis Ababa – The 5th Ministerial Forum on Migration, convening in Addis Ababa, aims to harmonize labor migration policies across the East and Horn of Africa. The forum seeks a collective strategy to ensure safe, regulated, and humane labor migration that could bolster regional integration and enhance the benefits of human mobility.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, the Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration is focusing on “Harnessing the power of regular migration pathways for youth employment, skills development, and green economy.” The event has drawn participation from ministers and technical delegates from 11 countries within the region, including Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda.

In his opening remarks, Labor and Skills State Minister Daniel Teressa highlighted Ethiopia’s role over the past two years in laying the groundwork for the forum, including hosting technical working group meetings and high-level forums. Teressa emphasized Ethiopia’s commitment to the forum’s vision of promoting dignified and humane migration governance within the region and beyond. He noted the forum’s objective to share successes, address challenges, and explore opportunities to positively impact migration in the region.

Abibatou Wane Fall, the Chief of Mission for IOM Ethiopia, stressed the importance of regular pathways for mobility and skills development in a region with a significant young population. “The RMFM serves as a valuable platform for interstate cooperation, exchange of ideas, and alignment of policies and practices on labor migration and the welfare of migrant workers,” she said, affirming IOM’s support and technical assistance to governments in the region.

The forum addresses the critical need for safe, regular, and human labor migration pathways, especially for young people in the region, where nearly 60 million individuals are aged between 15-24 years. With the Sub-Saharan African region having the highest percentage of young people globally, the discussions aim to maximize the benefits of regional integration on human mobility. The East and Horn of Africa is home to 8.5 million international migrants, including 4.7 million labor migrant workers.

The event is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Labor and Skills and the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM).