What: The Fifth Pan African Forum on Migration (PAFoM). The three-day Conference will be held under the theme: ‘Strengthening Migration Data and Research for evidence-based policy development and implementation towards effective migration governance in Africa ’.

When: 14-16 September 2019 starting at 9:00 am on the 14th September 2019.

Where: Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah, Cairo, Egypt.

Who: The Fifth Pan African Forum on Migration (PAFoM) will be hosted by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt in collaboration with the African Union Commission, UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Why: The main objective of PAFOM 5 is to open dialogue on ways of developing and strengthening the collection and utilization of accurate and disaggregated migration data and statistics for effective migration governance in the continent. The Forum aims to provide a more focused engagement with all relevant Migration stakeholders including RECs, AU Member States, private sector, academia, parliamentarians, African diaspora community and civil society organizations in Africa. Others will include African trade unions, National Human Rights institutions, Local Authorities, the Media and relevant UN and International Non-Governmental Organizations with Migration mandate.

Specific Objectives:
a) Take stock of the existing Inter States and Intra States Migration consultative platforms at national, regional and international levels with the aim of ensuring that they are well coordinated, relevant and are sustainable;

b) Consider and validate the draft Terms of Reference for the PAFOM to ensure there is synergy with regional and national consultative frameworks, while at the same strengthening its relevance in improving migration governance in the continent Identify and document on ways of strengthening the collection and utilization of data with specific interest on human trafficking, diaspora, remittances and labor migration;

c) Establish a continental working group on Migration Statistics to support Member States and Recs in strengthening migration statistics in Africa particularly at national, regional and continental levels on migration statistics; and

d) Discuss the feasibility and modalities of establishing national, regional and continental database, portal and depository on Migration Statistics in Africa.

It is expected that the Forum will inter-alia result in the following outputs/ outcomes:
a) Meeting Report with clear recommendation on strengthened migration data and research for evidence-based policy development and implementation towards effective migration governance in Africa;

b) Validated Road map on the establishment of national, regional and continental database, portal and depository on Migration Statistics in Africa;

c) Establishment of the on Migration Statistics Working Group in African; to follow up on the issues of Migration Statistics in Africa including the implementation of the PAFOM 2019 Outcome Report on Migration Statistics and the Revised Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA II); and

d) Validated Draft Terms of Reference for PAFOM to guide on Chairing, hosting criteria, participation, funding and synergy with regional consultative mechanism, among other issues in future.

Background:
PAFoM seeks to provide a platform where participants will have an opportunity to reflect on the progress made so far in the implementation of this Protocol and challenges therein. The meeting will also take stock of the progress taken so far by different Member States to implement and or ascend the Protocol after the Kigali meeting in April 2018. This reflection will also provide an opportunity to strengthen advocacy strategies targeting those Member States that have not ratified and domesticated the Protocol to encourage them to hasten the process with the aim of promoting free movement in the continent. The meeting will also take stock of other Migration management initiatives in the continent including the progress made in the implementation of the revised Migration Policy Framework (MPFA) and provide update and initial discussions on how the continent can implement the Global Compact on Migration once adopted in Marrakesh, Morocco by end of this year. As an overall Continental Migration Dialogue Initiative, this year’s PAFoM will also provide an opportunity for RECs and Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs) to update participants on progress made on different migration initiatives in their areas to promote information sharing and synergies among RECs and Member States.

The 2018 African Union Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.987 (XXXII) adopted the revised Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) and its 12 Year Action Plan. The Decision further requested African Union Member States to align their Migration Policy Frameworks with the new continental framework including its Plan of Action. This decision is a follow up of the 2006 Executive Council Decision (EX.CL/276 (IX)) on the Migration Policy Framework for Africa specifically requested the AU Commission to work with IOM and other relevant partners to assist Member States to strengthen migration governance and collaboration among themselves. The Common African Position (CAP) on the Global Compact on safe, orderly and regular Migration; that was endorsed by Executive Council and the AU Assembly in 2018 also provides a Policy directive to AU Member States to speak with one voice on all important issues on migration during the intergovernmental negotiations on migration.

Representatives of the media, especially those based in Egypt, are invited to cover the event.

For media inquiries, please contact:
1. Mrs. Wynne Musabayana| Head, Communication Division| Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: Musabayanaw@africa-union.org
2. Mr. Gamal Ahmed A. Karrar| Communication Officer| Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org