Towards improved labour migration governance in Djibouti

Capacity building workshop, 21-23 March 2022

News | 25 March 2022
DIJIBOUTI (ILO News) –The International Labour Office (ILO) in collaboration with IGAD through the Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance (FMPT) project funded by European Union (EU) supports the Ministry of Labour to organize a capacity building workshop to improve labour migration governance in Djibouti from 21 to 23 March 2022. The workshop brings together experts from different line Ministries and national institutions, including Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women and Family, National Institute of Statistics, workers and employers’ representatives, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Coordination Bureau on Migration, etc.

The aim of this workshop is to familiarize the senior officials from these line Ministries and institutions with concepts, regulations and good practices in labour migration governance, including the international labour standards for migrant workers, the process of developing national labour migration policies and institutional arrangements for improved labour migration governance. By the end of the workshop, the participants are expected to identify and come up with priorities for the next course of action towards improved labour migration governance in Djibouti.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Labour in charge of formalization and social protection, H.E.M Omar Abdi Said, The Minister of interior H.E.M Said Nouh Hassan, the Head of EU Delegation Amb. M. Aidan O’Hara, the Director of ILO Country Office for Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan and special representative to AU and ECA M. Alexio Musindo, and the IOM Head of Mission Mrs. Stephanie Davio.

In his opening remarks, Amb. M. Aidan O’Hara highlighted the challenges of migration and stressed that if well governed it could be an opportunity for counties of origin, transit and destination. In this regard, he recalled the importance of the IGAD free movement protocols and Djibouti Declaration on Labour, Employment and Labour Migration. He underlined the importance of the coordination between national institutions for an effective formulation and implementation of strategies, including the labour migration policy. He also underlined the importance of involving the Ministry of Women to ensure a proper mainstreaming of gender issues in the migration strategies. Likewise, H.E.M Omar Abdi Said underlined the main drivers of migration and stressed the importance of protecting all the migrants. He noted the necessity to ratify relevant international labour standards and to develop and put in place appropriate tools for migrant workers protection. He highlighted the importance of capacity building for relevant national officials to ensure improved practices in labour migration governance. He also highlighted the importance of national consultations and coordination for an effective labour migration governance in Djibouti.

The Minister of Interior indicated that the 2021-24 Migration Strategy and Action Plan were developed and that a national bureau for the coordination of migration is established. In her opening remarks, the IOM representative stressed the number of regular and irregular migrants in Djibouti and the number of Djiboutians abroad. In the same vine, M. Alexio highlighted the importance of labour migration governance and the ratification of international labour standards for the protection of migrant workers. He noted that if migration is managed properly, it will benefit migrants, countries of origin, countries of destination and serve as a vehicle for advancing regional integration and development. He also mentioned that the workshop is part of the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration and its work plan, especially on advocacy for the ratification of international labour standards.