WINDHOEK: The African Union Commission (AUC) and the SADC Parliamentary Forum convened an inter-regional workshop on Tuesday to discuss and share experiences regarding African migration governance.

The two-day Inter-Regional Parliament Capacity Building Training Workshop seeks to address the need for enhanced dialogue and capacity building in the field of labour migration governance.

Representatives from the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) attended the training session on labour migration governance.

Speaking during the workshop’s opening here, Utaara Mootu, a member of the Namibian parliament, emphasised the importance of labour migration governance in shaping societies and economies.

‘In this interconnected world, the movement of workers across borders is not just a matter of policy, but a fundamental aspect of global development. By strengthening our understanding of labou
r migration governance, we empower ourselves to create systems that are fair, equitable, and respectful of the rights and dignity of all individuals involved,’ she said.

AUC labour expert, Sabelo Mbokazi, emphasised the importance of creating a conducive work environment for millions of international migrants in Africa.

‘Labour migration cuts through every sector – governance, development, human rights, gender, the environment and much more. As the African Union Commission, part of our mandate includes promotion of safe, orderly, dignified and regular migration,’ he said.

He emphasised that parliaments play a crucial role in addressing migration governance in Africa, saying: ‘Let us put a human face to the story of migration, particularly labour migrants. Parliaments play an integral role in developing policies and initiatives to address the needs of migrants and ensure that they are efficient, gender-responsive and human rights-based.’

According to the Third Edition of the Report on Labour Migration Stat
istics in Africa, the continent had 26.3 million international migrants in 2019, with 20.3 million of them being of working age, though only 14.5 million were employed.

‘Labour migrants are vulnerable to human rights violations because they are not citizens of the host countries. Their status often causes them to live in precarious situations. Migrant women in particular face additional challenges such as gender-based violence,’ said Wavel Woodcock from the PAP.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency