Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Government Ministers from 11 countries across East and Horn of Africa (EHOA), will meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the 13th to the 17th of March in a regional forum that focuses on the benefits of migration for sustainable development and economic growth in the region, whilst enhancing the protection of migrant workers. 

The Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) is made up of governments from the Republic of Burundi, Republic of Djibouti, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, State of Eritrea, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Republic of Uganda. This will be the fourth in a series of meetings since the RMFM’s inception, and will largely focus on building impact and sustainability for the benefit of migrants in and from the East and Horn of Africa region.

Chaired by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) on Harmonizing Labour Migration Policies in East and Horn of Africa: A United Approach on Safe, Regular and Humane Labour Migration, was established to jointly address labour migration policies, foster labour mobility, and protect the fundamental human, labour, and social rights of migrant workers migrating within and from the continent. The Forum recognizes that while a significant number of migrant workers from the region look toward other destinations such as the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the majority of labour movements is intra-regional.
Technical experts and policy makers will spend the initial four days working in the RMFM’s diverse Technical Working Groups that will look at mapping skills gaps and labour shortages, bilateral labour agreements, harmonizing the sending of remittances and expanding financial inclusion of migrants. This will culminate in a High-Level Ministerial summit, with attendance from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the East African Community (EAC), and the African Union, the International Labour Organization and other UN Agencies, donors and representatives from the diplomatic corps.

“The RMFM has great visions and goals which should be translated into concrete actions through the right commitment of member states, regional economic communities and partners alike,” says HE Muferihat Kamil, Chair of RMFM and Minister of the FDRE Ministry Labor and Skills.

The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Regional Office for East and Horn of Africa which coordinates the RMFM, has continued to scale up efforts towards safer migration for all, especially women who are more vulnerable to risks associated with migration, particularly irregular migration.

“The RMFM is making gradual concerted efforts toward improving information exchange around labour mobility, gender-sensitive migration governance and regional integration,” says IOM Regional Director Mohammed Abdiker, “Harnessing potential benefits from mobility and regulating it will ensure better protection for those on the move.”

This 4th RMFM High Level Ministerial Meeting and the five TWG meetings are supported by the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) on “Labour Mobility and Regional Integration for Safe, Orderly and Humane Labour Migration in East and Horn of Africa: East Africa Migration Management”, which is a three-year programme funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).