Towards improved labour migration governance in Djibouti

Capacity building workshop

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.

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, 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 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, the ILO Country Office Director M. Alexio Musindo 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 Djibouti Declaration and its workplan, especially on advocacy for the ratification of international labour standards.

During the workshop the participants came to a Common understanding on labour migration trends in and from Djibouti and tools and instruments to strengthen labour migration governance, including the coordination of relevant national institutions, content of relevant ILO Conventions and ratification process, as well as role of international labour standards for strengthening the protection of migrant workers. They also came to a common understanding of process and steps to develop a labour migration policy and the need to align with the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration on labour, employment and labour migration signed on 21 October 2021 (download the Declaration in english and french).

By the end of the workshop, the participants came up with priorities for the next course of action towards improved labour migration governance in Djibouti, including the launching of ratification process for relevant ILO conventions on the protection of migrant workers, development of a labour migration policy or strategy, and conduct advocacy and awareness-raising activities on the rights of migrant workers.

Background

The ILO through the FMPT project funded by the EU is working with IGAD to improve opportunities for regular labour mobility and decent work in the IGAD region through the development of models of intervention. In view of the mixed migration flows and the fact that many migrant workers participate in the labour market in Djibouti and the desire to provide decent employment opportunities for Djiboutians in destination countries, the Ministry of Labour plans to develop a comprehensive labour migration policy or strategy and examine the additional relevance of International Labour Standards, in particular the conventions on migrant workers to advance the governance of labour migration in the country with the support of the ILO. In a context where IGAD Member States share similar challenges and opportunities on labour, employment and labour migration, the Djibouti Declaration provides a platform for common solutions through a regional approach, involving key stakeholders, particularly Ministers responsible for Labour and Employment as well as Employers’ and workers’ organizations.