Countries urged to secure migrant workers

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Member countries under the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have been asked to pursue government-to-government agreements to protect citizens who move to other countries in search of employment.

This is one of the avenues through which migrant workers can be protected as they go about with their work in foreign countries.

The call was made by Frantz Celestin, the regional director for IOM East, Horn, and Southern Africa in an interview with journalists during the closing ceremony of the 6th Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) on Harmonising Labour Migration Policies in East and Horn of Africa: A United Approach to Safe, Regular and Human Labour Migration.

Esther Davinia Anyakun, Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations state minister addressing delegates during the closure of the 6th Regional Ministerial forum on Migration on Harmonizing Labour Migration Policies in East and Horn of Africa. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

The forum that ended on February 20, 2025, at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo in Kampala city and attracted representatives from all the 11 member countries of IOM, 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.

The forum was aimed at recognising the positive impacts of regular labour migration on communities, review progress and gaps in national and regional legislative, regulatory, and institutional mechanisms for establishing, expanding, and enhancing labour pathways within and beyond the east and horn of Africa region.

They also discussed ongoing initiatives, highlighting opportunities for establishing new labour pathways, scaling up existing initiatives, and identifying technical, policy, dialogue, and other needs of member countries in the region.

Aggrey David Kibenge, Gender ministry addressing delegates during the closure of the 6th Regional Ministerial forum. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

“To protect migrant workers from exploitation is by encouraging the government-to-government agreements to increase protection of migrant workers. Through these agreements, mother countries can connect the migrants to legal attaches in receiving countries but also increase education sessions,” he said.

The other avenue through which migrant workers can be protected according to Celestin is through the establishment of regulatory mechanisms that can guide recruitment agencies to adhere to the set rules but also ensure that recruitment and deployments is carried out ethically.

According to IOM, many migrant workers from the east and horn of Africa fall into situations of violence, exploitation, abuse and irregularity despite having migrated regularly. High and often unaffordable costs and recruitment fees also make migrants vulnerable to debt bondage, abuse, exploitation, violence, forced labour or human trafficking.

Aggrey David Kibenge, Gender ministry addressing delegates during the closure of the 6th Regional Ministerial forum. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

And yet demographic transitions such as ageing populations and declining birth rates, and immigration policies have left many high and middle-income countries workers in urgent need to fill labour market shortages across a range of sectors and skill levels.

Commenting on the demand for labour from African countries, Aggrey Kibenge, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development added that globally there is a skills gap, especially in European countries where the biggest percentage of the population is ageing and needs specialized skills to manage such a population.

He added that records in their possession show that 200,000 Ugandans are working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while 100,000. Other destinations in need of labour services from Africa include Europe, which has a large population of the aged and require workers with specialised skills to manage the needs.

He, however, added that more people are moving in and out of the country without going through the processes adding that the Government should now interest itself in the welfare of its people in different parts of the world.

For Africans to work and offer services without disruptions ranging from abuse, trafficking, low pay and torture among others meted on migrant workers, member countries have to work as a block to ensure that their citizens can work in a decent environment.

Esther Davinia Anyakun (left), Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations state minister interacts with Dr Alfred Mutua (right), Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary from Kenya as Gen James Hoth Mai, Labour minister from South Sudan and Luul Gebreab, Labour and Social welfare minister from Eritrea look on during the closure of the 6th Regional Ministerial Forum. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

“This is where cooperation comes in to deal with migrant workers' challenges. So, all members of the forum should take interest in the affairs of fellow Africans before asking about the nationality of an African in distress, take responsibility before you look into their countries of origin,” Kibenge said.

At the same event, Esther Ayokunmi, the minister of state for labour commended the forum and also called on member states to adopt the recommendations and implement them for the good of migrant workers.

“The issues of youth, skills and employment, gender, diaspora, return and reintegration, as well as data, are a joint concern for all Member states. We do hope that Member States will make deliberate efforts to make progress on the various issues raised through the five technical working groups,” she said.