Nairobi – The governments of two Global Compact on Migration (GCM) Champion countries in the region, Ethiopia, and Kenya, have convened for the first dialogue on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration in the East and Horn of Africa, in Nairobi, Kenya, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa as coordinator of the United Nations Network on Migration. 

The dialogue was an opportunity for open discussions between technical representatives from the following countries: Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Rwanda, and Uganda in addition to the African Union Commission, the Regional Economic Communities of East African Community, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. 

Stephen Jackson, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and Chair of the UN Network on Migration in Kenya, said, “We have an estimate of 8.5 million international migrants in the region, we need to look this as an opportunity and not as a challenge.”
The dialogue is part of the preparations for the Regional Review of the progress of implementation of the GCM in the region. The impetus for the Nairobi dialogue is to encourage peer-learning and the exchange of good practices with regards to accelerating the implementation of the GCM objectives. 

During the dialogue, which was also attended by various stakeholder representatives as well as UN Agencies, the UN Network Migration presented its recently developed guidance aimed at supporting governments and stakeholders to integrate the GCM in planning processes and to develop GCM national implementation plans.
 
“Today's GCM dialogue is an important and unique forum for Member States to discuss, in very practical terms, their progress in the implementation of the GCM and how IOM together with other UN partners, civil society and stakeholders can continue supporting Member States in meeting their commitments,” noted Justin MacDermott, IOM Deputy Regional Director, the East and Horn of Africa. 

Ambassador Julius Bitok, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services, and Chair of the National Coordination Mechanism (NCM) in Kenya, said, “Kenya has been at the forefront of spearheading the implementation of the GCM, borne out of the realization of the importance of migration governance to economic development. Kenya was the first country in Africa to come up with a comprehensive GCM Implementation plan and these gained the recognition of the United Nations secretary general.”

The two Champions shared their experience in implementing the GCM with Kenya’s experience updating their national implementation plan and Ethiopia’s plans to mainstream migration in their development plans. Their interventions also aimed to encourage inter-regional cooperation as well as to prepare for the upcoming Regional Reviews of the GCM. 

“There remains a strong commitment from the Government of Ethiopia for the effective implementation of GCM, as demonstrated through the establishment of a whole-of-government based NCM. Ethiopia has selected 10 priority objectives from the 23 GCM objectives in line with national priorities to accelerate progress and attaining the goals. The priority objectives align with policies, strategies, and national development plans. There is a concerted need to develop an implementation action plan and we call on the support of development partners such as IOM,” said Abrham Ayelaw, Head of National Partnership Coalition for Migration Secretariat, Ethiopia.

The dialogue was also attended by other stakeholders including international Civil Society Organisations who articulated effectively on the role of non-state actors in shaping and strengthening the GCM mechanism. 

Mutuku Nguli, Executive Director of Counter Human Trafficking Trust-East Africa explained that, “The GCM process must prioritise and sustain the ‘Whole of Society Approach’ at all levels of migration governance to guarantee active and inclusive participation of non-state stakeholders. Such a process will address aspects of age, gender, disability and diversity-sensitive principles.”

For more information, please contact Abdi Hersi, Senior Regional Policy and Liaison Officer, abhersi@iom.int