Ministers from HoA meet to discuss challenges, opportunities of labor migration

Addis Ababa, February 23, 2024 (FBC) – Government ministers from East and the Horn of Africa (HoA), along with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), are meeting in Addis Ababa next week to tackle labor migration governance challenges and their impact on human mobility, IOM regional office for the HoA region said.

The region, with 8.5 million international migrants, including 4.7 million labor migrants, faces significant migration issues highlighted in the 2022 report “The State of Migration in East and Horn of Africa.”

The fifth Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) emphasizes “Harnessing the Power of Regular Migration Pathways for Youth Employment, Skills Development, and Green Economy.” With representatives from 11 countries, the forum aims to strategize safe and humane labor migration pathways for the region’s nearly 60 million young people aged 15-24.

IOM’s technical expertise supports the RMFM, aligning with its Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028, to enhance dialogue and cooperation among neighboring states. Ministers will address challenges like climate displacement and intra-regional migration dominance while focusing on strengthening commitments outlined in the 2020 Communiqué to foster regional collaboration and policy harmonization.

The forum serves as a crucial platform for regional collaboration and policy development, aiming to deliver tangible progress towards improved regional migration governance, particularly for youth seeking employment and skills development opportunities within the green economy.

It is learned that Ethiopia currently chairs the RMFM, which rotates between states in the region voluntarily every two years.