Geneva – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the African Union (AU) have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation to assist the efforts of member states to develop and implement migration policies and institutional frameworks consistent with the UN Agenda 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. 

The agreement focuses on key areas of migration governance, addressing the root causes of irregular migration, migration data and research, migration and climate change, labour mobility, migration and health, among other areas of migration intersectionality in the continent.  

"The Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) and IOM’s Strategic Vision recognize that migration in Africa is a catalyst for development if well governed,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. “The increased movement of people, goods and services across borders incentivizes better linkages and connections between African countries.” 

The agreement will allow for continued implementation of the key pillars of the MPFA, which provides African Member States and regional economic communities (RECs) with comprehensive policy guidelines and principles to assist in formulating and implementing national and regional migration policies in accordance with their priorities and resources. 

“The AU-IOM Cooperation Agreement comes at a historic time when the African Union is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its transition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union with a new mandate for the integration and socio-economic advancement of Africa,” said Minata Cessouma Samate, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission.  

Several significant milestones have been attained in the 23 years since the signing of the first cooperation agreement. In the last five years, cooperation efforts have included the adoption of the Revised Edition of the Migration Policy Framework for Africa, adoption of a Common African Position on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), and launch of the Africa Migration Report in 2020. 

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For more information, please contact:

IOM: Kennedy Okoth, Tel: +32 492 25 02 34, Email: kokoth@iom.int 

African Union: Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karar, Tel: +251115517700, E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org.