ADDIS ABABA (ILO News) – The Catalytic Actions for the AU/ILO/IOM/UNECA Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration in Africa (JLMP- ACTION Project) was officially launched this week in Ethiopia with the attendance of tripartite representatives and other partners. The ‘JLMP Action’, funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), is one of the projects making up the AU-ILO-IOM-ECA Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration in Africa (JLMP) that was launched in 2015 by African Heads of State to implement the 5th Key Priority Area of the AU Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development adopted by the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments in 2015.

The Programme is strengthening the governance and regulation of labour migration in Africa, in line with the First 2023 Ten Year Plan of the AU’s Agenda 2063 and of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The national launch of this new project was attended by officials of the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Embassies of Switzerland and Sweden, who are funding the JLMP Programme, as well as the African Union Commission (AUC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), who are implementing partners. Representatives of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) and of labour unions as well as employers’ confederations participated in the event.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Ethiopia’s Minister of Labour and Skills Development, H.E. Muferihat Kamil highlighted that, “Improving labour migration governance, strengthening the protection of migrant workers’ rights and making regular labour more accessible requires the concerted efforts of different stakeholders…the role of JLMP in this regard is paramount.”

 

Representing the ILO, Ruchika Bahl, Chief Technical Advisor at CO Addis Ababa said, “ILO has a large project portfolio on labour migration in Ethiopia. Today, we are proudly adding to it the JLMP Action that focuses on effective management of labour migration and labour migration governance for development.”

“This project is timely as it will contribute to enhancing labour migration governance, improve the protection of migrant workers’ rights & enhance the contribution of migration to national economic development”, added Bahl.

The African Union’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, H.E. Minata Cessouma Samate reaffirmed that, “As the African Union Commission, our mandate includes promotion of safe, orderly, dignified and regular migration, as well as, providing support for the implementation of Member States’ policies on labour, employment, population, health and migration. We remain committed to supporting you [the project implementers] to implement the priorities you have identified, to facilitate experience sharing with other Member States and to strengthen linkages with other complementary processes.”

Acting Chief of Mission of IOM Ethiopia and Representative to AU and ECA, Mr. Jian Zhang reiterated that IOM, in collaboration with the AUC and ILO, will implement JLMP activities in alignment with national policies and priorities with key initiatives including supporting the formulation of a gender-responsive labour migration policy, assisting relevant authorities in collecting and utilizing sex-disaggregated data on labour migration, capacity building initiatives for various stakeholders on labour migration governance and ethical recruitment to ensure the rights of migrant workers are promoted at all levels.

Swiss Ambassador. H.E. Tamara Mona reiterated that tangible improvements in promoting better labour migration governance will only happen if there is change at the national and community level, commending Ethiopia for agreeing to implement the JLMP.

“Let me assure you that Switzerland’s commitment to supporting the government Ethiopia, the African Union and its Member States to implement this programme to achieve sustainable development in Africa is long term, in line with the JLMP strategic framework, and we also encourage other development partners to join forces in supporting this important Programme,” she added.

The official launch is followed by a two-day capacity building workshop on labour migration governance and administration to familiarize stakeholders in the country with trends in labour migration, steps to improve the national framework for labour migration governance and administration, labour migration data, and other issues linked to labour migration.