Kampala, Uganda – Government Ministers from across the East and Horn of Africa have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing regular labour migration pathways and strengthening regional collaboration on migration governance. 

The Ministers signed a Joint Statement at the 6th Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) in Kampala, Uganda, on 13 February 2025, coordinated and supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The participating countries were the Republic of Uganda, the Republic of Burundi, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Republic of Kenya, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Sudan and Republic of the Sudan. 

The meeting was held under the theme "Reframing the Narrative: Celebrating the Positive Impact of Labour Migration on Local Development and Economic Growth through Enhancing Regular Pathways”. Ministers agreed to work together more closely on advancing strategies and approaches to improving ethical recruitment, broadening and enhancing skills development to address labour gaps, and enhancing the protection of migrant workers, among other objectives. The signing of the Joint Statement was preceded by three days of discussions held by Technical Working Groups (TWGs) on enhancing gender-sensitive policies, skills mobility partnerships, diaspora engagement and youth employment initiatives in the region. Two other panel discussions took place focusing on migration and development.  

The panels highlighted the contributions of diaspora experts as Returned Qualified Nationals (RQNs) in skills development and knowledge transfer, and  empowering young entrepreneurs from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda in the Youth Business Incubator program as agents of change, which highlighted  the value of using personal experiences to boost community growth and resilience in the region. 

Honourable Esther Davinia Anyakun, Uganda’s Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, praised the forum’s outcomes, congratulating the Chairs and Co-Chairs of the TWGs for successfully steering the discussions on the progress made towards the implementation of the TWG recommendations. She called upon the Member States to collectively adopt the recommendations and implement them for a sustainable RMFM. 

Frantz Celestin, the Regional Director for IOM, East, Horn and Southern Africa, emphasized IOM’s support, noting that “by removing structural and legal barriers to mobility, enhancing access to employment, promoting mobility of skills, entrepreneurship and social protection, regional integration will increasingly shape migration dynamics within the region.” 

In signing the joint statement, the RMFM Member States agreed to renew their highest commitment to protecting the rights of migrant workers and their families in the East and Horn of Africa region, and beyond, by pursuing people-centered, rights-based, accessible, sustainable and safe regular labour pathways through international cooperation and multi-stakeholder partnerships. They agreed to support the establishment and expansion of regular migration pathways through Bilateral and Multilateral Labour Migration arrangements, Skills Mobility Partnerships, and whole-of-government coordination. Participating Governments reaffirmed commitment to strengthening the RMFM Regional Secretariat, Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) and TWGs through establishing sub-groups to emphasize critical issues such as gender, data, private sector engagement, and skills development .

The RMFM is supported by IOM’s Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) programme funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). 

For more information and media enquiries please contact:   

In Nairobi: IOM Regional Office, East, Horn and Southern Africa, Media & Communication Unit:  ronairobimcu@iom.int, Tel:  +254797735977 

In Kampala: Richard M Kavuma: rmkavuma@iom.int, Tel:  +256 771 709 917