Uganda to Host 6th Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration Next Week

Uganda is set to host the 6th meeting of the Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM), scheduled to take place from February 10th to 13th, 2025.

The RMFM was established in January 2020 in Nairobi, Kenya, to address labour migration in the East and Horn of Africa region. Its primary goal is to improve labour migration governance and protect the rights of migrant workers.

Since its inception, different countries have hosted these ministerial-level meetings, including the Technical Working Groups (TWGs). Uganda will be hosting this high-profile forum for the first time.

For Uganda, migration remains a key concern due to the large influx of refugees, mainly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as other neighbouring countries, which places a strain on the country’s resources.

According to Hon. Esther Anyakun Davina (MP), the Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, Uganda currently hosts over 1.6 million refugees and asylum seekers, making it the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. The majority of these refugees come from the countries mentioned above.

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“Refugees are not the only challenge Uganda is facing. We also grapple with significant labour migration challenges, often through irregular channels, as Ugandans seek employment abroad, particularly in the Middle East, where they face risks of exploitation and forced labour,” said the minister.

She highlighted that the current conflict in DRC has forced many refugees into Uganda but that the government does not have money to cater for them. She, therefore, called for help from donors to provide for their needs.

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Minister Anyakun added that the Kampala meeting will focus on key issues such as improving labour migration governance, protecting migrant workers’ rights, promoting common approaches to labour migration policies, and developing evidence-based labour migration policies.

She emphasized that these issues were central to the forum’s founding principles. The High Ministerial Forum will bring together Ministers of Labour from the East and Horn of Africa to discuss progress made over the past year. As in previous years, the ministers are expected to sign a Joint Statement reaffirming their commitment to a regional approach to labour migration governance.

The forum will draw participants from 11 countries: the Republic of Burundi, the Republic of Djibouti, the State of Eritrea, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, and the host country, the Republic of Uganda, which currently chairs the RMFM.

The forum will run under the theme “Reframing the Narrative: Celebrating the Positive Impact of Labour Migration on Local Development and Economic Growth through Regular Pathways.”

Officials will discuss various aspects of regular labour migration pathways and their potential to foster positive contributions to local development and economic growth. The meeting will explore joint efforts required to establish, expand, and enhance regular labour migration pathways as part of long-term, comprehensive solutions.

“Uganda is grateful for the partnership and support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), without which this crucial meeting might not have been possible,” Minister Anyakun noted.