Adama, Ethiopia – Experts from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the African Union Commission (AUC) met representatives of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice, the National Coordination Mechanism on Migration and migration actors from Kenya and Uganda from 7 to 8 December 2022 to discuss how to strengthen the national coordination mechanism in Ethiopia, especially in tripartite consultations and social dialogue on labor migration. 

The two-day workshop was organized with the AU-ILO-IOM-ECA Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration in Africa (JLMP) to acquaint members of Ethiopia’s National Partnership Coalition (NPC) with laws and policies for labor migration governance.

The NPC, which is chaired by the Ministry of Justice and includes representatives from government organizations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and UN agencies, coordinates migration-related issues across ministries to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling and to better meet the needs of victims.

Speakers emphasized that National Coordination Mechanisms (NCMs) on migration, often with a mandate of steering dialogue among migration governance key stakeholders, play a significant role in governing migration and labour migration and are essential for achieving safe, orderly and regular migration. 

The meeting discussed applicable global, regional and national labor migration governance legal instruments so as to enhance formulation and subsequent implementation of national labor migration policies and instruments and to strengthen understanding of guidelines on bi-lateral labour migration agreements (BLMAs), and engagement in the BLMA cycle. 

Also discussed was the role of tripartite constituents in labor migration social dialogue, ways to strengthen coordination amongst national actors on labour migration governance, and the collection, analysis and use of migration data through National Coordination Mechanisms on Migration (NCMs).

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, Abraham Ayalew stated that Proclamation 1178/2020, which has established structures to better manage migration challenges, is just one of many legislative and institutional initiatives Ethiopia is using to improve labor migration governance and management.

“The JLMP promotes the facilitation of the free movement of workers as a means of advancing regional integration and development. Key activity areas of the JLMP include labour migration governance through policy development and regulatory framework, skills portability and mutual recognition of qualifications, as well as Labour Market Information Systems which support market driven skills development and skills pooling across the continent,” said Odette Bolly on behalf of the African Union Commission.

“NCMs, often with a mandate of steering dialogue among migration governance key stakeholders, have a prominent role in labour migration governance. IOM has a long-standing experience in setting-up and supporting National Coordination Mechanisms in member states, especially in the East and Horn of Africa. For instance, as part of the implementation of IGAD’s Regional Migration Policy Framework (RMPF), which was adopted by member states in July 2012, IOM has been supporting the establishment and strengthening of national platforms and mechanisms for cooperation on migration,” added Edwin Righa of IOM’s Special Liaison Office to the African Union and UNECA.

Additionally, representatives of NCMs from Kenya and Uganda shared their experiences with setting up mechanisms to regulate migration and labour migration in their countries.

The meeting was made possible through funding from the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development (SDC).

For more information contact: Eric Mazango emazango@iom.int