Continental and Regional Cooperation

Our Goals

As the lead organization working on migration, IOM through the Special Liaison Office (SLO) in Addis Ababa cooperates closely with continental and regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in shaping discourse and policy development on migration in Africa.

Central to the Special Liaison Unit (SLU)’s role is to ensure the enhancement of safe, orderly and humane migration in Africa through the development and implementation of sound migration policies and practices across the continent, as well as broadening cooperation and partnerships.

SLU has contributed significantly to shaping the migration policy responses on African migration by collaborating with the African Union Commission (AUC) to facilitate the operationalization of continent‐wide migration policies and programs; supporting Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) through regional programming on migration and harmonization of policies; and working, through partnership with United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and relevant UN Agencies, to create awareness on emerging migration issues.

Our Partners

African Union (AU)

IOM’s Liaison Unit supports the African Union (AU) in operationalizing its policy frameworks and declarations on migration and IOM’s presence on the continent has made it a key Humanitarian partner of the African Union. 

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

IOM collaborates with Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on various initiatives, such as the High-Level Dialogue on Migration and Development that took place in November 2013. As a follow up, together with ECA and AU we’ve organized sensitization workshops for African Ambassadors in Addis on the outcomes of the High-Level dialogue.