Cooperation and Partnerships

Political instability, protracted conflicts, insecurity, extremism as well as drought and climate related changes contribute to significant movements in the region. To respond to these varied migration challenges, IOM partners with governments in the region, donors and the private sector partners in its interventions. In addition, IOM engages with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) at five levels|: i) operational partnerships; ii) advocacy and awareness raising; iii) research partnership; iv) capacity building and v) observer partnerships. In 2017, IOM and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies organized the IOM-NGO Humanitarian Consultations in Nairobi, Kenya. The consultations addressed issues of mutual interest to IOM and NGOs in the East and Horn of Africa, including internal displacement and durable solutions, mixed flows, migrants in vulnerable situations, humanitarian cluster coordination and the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration (GCM).

IOM also works in close partnership with academic institutions and migration researchers. For example, the Regional Office collaborates with the University of Strathmore in Nairobi, Kenya and has developed the first solar water course in East Africa. IOM also developed the East Africa Migration Conversations.  Two conversations have taken place notably, “The Forgotten Maritime Migration Route: Migrants and Refugees of the Gulf of Aden Crisis” in 2017, and ‘’ Children on the Move”  in 2018, which was held in collaboration with United States International University (USIU)-Africa and UNICEF East and Southern Africa Regional Office.   

IOM has continued to receive invaluable support from a variety of donors and through funding sources which includes governments, multilateral donors as well as international organizations including Belgium, Canada, the Common Humanitarian Fund, Central Emergency Response Fund, European Union, Finland, Germany, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, United States of America and several United Nations entities among others. Funding has also increasingly diversified, and support from non-traditional donors, including but not limited to, the African Development Bank (AfDB), China, IGAD, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea and Turkey has grown.