Uganda takes charge at regional migration forum
Uganda has been handed chairmanship of the Regional Ministerial Forum for Migration (RMFM) previously held by Ethiopia.
Uganda’s Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi takes over from her Ethiopian counterpart Muferihat Kamil for a two-year tenure that expires in 2026.
Kamil has been at the helm since 2022 having succeeded Kenya’s former Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui, who was the pioneer chair since the convention inception in 2020.
“As a region, we face similar challenges and opportunities regarding migration. Working together, we can develop and implement effective strategies that benefit our countries and their citizens, particularly our young people,” Amongi said after the announcement.
The chairmanship is awarded on a rotational basis. On her part, Kamil hailed her peers for allowing her to lead the forum, noting that RMFM has blossomed into a vital space for consultation and collaboration in the realm of labour migration.
RMFM brings together labour ministers from 11 countries in the East and Horn of Africa region including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Rwanda.
It aims to create a platform for the countries to jointly address labour migration policies, foster labour mobility and protect the fundamental human, labour, and social rights of migrant workers moving within the continent and from Africa to the European Union, Gulf Cooperation Council member states and other countries.
During its inaugural meeting held in Nairobi in January 2020, participating states committed to collaborate to strengthen labour migration governance within the region by establishing a platform for experience sharing, consultation on issues, dialogue, and the review and implementation of recommendations.
On February 29, 2024, Ethiopia hosted the 5th conference of RMFM where labour ministers passed several resolutions to enhance migration governance and protect the rights of migrant workers, culminating in the signing of a ministerial statement.
