Representatives of partners implementing the AUC-IOM-ILO-ECA Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) met virtually on November 3 to assess progress and plan the next steps to expand the continental initiative.

The multi-partner initiative was launched in June 2018 to strengthen the regulation of labour migration and mobility for inclusive economic growth and regional integration on the African Continent, with JLMP Priority - the first phase of the programme - funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) for 9 million USD expected to come to an end this year.

To continue strengthening labour migration governance on the continent, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has also come on board and injected a further 8 million USD for a new three-and-a-half-year project known as JLMP Action that commenced in June 2021.

Both projects complement each other and are expected to maximize existing resources and networks, improve monitoring and communications activities, while strengthening synergies between diverse labour migration projects on the continent.

Since its launch JLMP has been expanding in a progressive manner as more financial resources become available, with activities that commenced in the Economic Community of East Africa (EAC), Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) now extended to other RECs, namely Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA).

In his remarks Mr Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of Labour, Employment and Migration Division of the African Union Commission (AUC) emphasized that result-oriented outcomes require improved capacity and good coordination.

Representatives from the three implementing agencies – the African Union Commission (AUC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and International Organization for Migration (IOM) pledged to support Member States and partners to continue implementing key reforms set in the JLMP Priority project, and to mobilize resources to support unfunded areas as identified in the JLMP Strategic Framework and Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (2020-2030).

ECCAS, ECOWAS, EAC, and the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) were the African Union RECs represented, together with Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Malawi and Morocco, who are the pilot Member States in the JLMP Action project.

Mr. Maxime Ake of ECCAS expressed appreciation for including ECCAS in the project and urged regional entities to improve both visibility and ownership of the project. Meanwhile, the delegate from Morocco, Mr. Hicham called for more meetings that share in-depth information for stakeholders to better understand labour migration trends and issues.

Additionally, financial partners, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) attended.

Ms. Suad Ali, Programme Manager, Migration, Embassy of Sweden said, “Migration is an important area of cooperation for Sweden and we are committed to continue supporting capacity strengthening of labour migration governance to achieve safe, orderly and regular labour migration on the continent”.  

On her part Ms. Odile Robert, Deputy Head of Global Programme Migration and Development, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation noted that Switzerland is pleased to be part of the JLMP, underlining that systemic change will only be achieved when it takes place at the national and local levels, and calling for ownership, political buy-in and strong commitment to achieve the objectives of JLMP.

Dr Inge Baumgarten, Director of GIZ Office to the African Union, saluted the strong leadership of the African Union and the collaborative spirit of the implementers, and highlighted that GIZ will continue to provide support to JLMP as migration is an important issue which contributes to changing gender roles by empowering women.

Since 2015 JLMP has been working with AU Member States, RECs, social partner organizations, migrant and diaspora associations to address identified challenges to effective labour migration management in many countries, most who are saddled with the challenge of jobless growth and widespread youth unemployment. These include labour and skills shortages, dearth of statistics, and weak ratification and domestication of labour standards and free circulation frameworks.

Read more about JLMP @ https://au.int/en/jlmp

For more information related JLMP program please contact:

1. Oumar Diop | JLMP Support Unit Coordinator, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Department African Union Commission | Email: DiopO@africa-union.org
2. Adaeze Emily Molokwu | Programme Office | Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Department | Email: MolokwuA@africa-union.org

For further media inquiries, please contact:

1. Esther Azaa Tankou | Head of Information Division | Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission | Mobile: +251911361185 | E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org
2. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communications Directorate, African Union Commission | E-mail: gamalk@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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