Livingstone, Zambia - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are jointly hosting a   strategic meeting of Heads of Immigration, Labour Commissioners and  Statisticians-General on realignment of the SADC Regional Migration Policy Framework (RMPF) and Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) reporting.

Kicking off on May 6, 2024, in Livingstone, Zambia, the meeting aims to enhance the migration governance in the SADC region. The meeting is funded, respectively, by the European Union and the United States of America through  the Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) project and the Africa Regional Migration Program (ARMP).

”Reliable data allows for the inclusion of all migrants in policy making as comprehensive, disaggregated data helps policymakers to develop sound, evidence-based policies ensuring that no migrant is left behind, especially the most vulnerable ones”, stated Prof. Kula I. Theletsane, SADC Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Affairs.

The meeting's collaborative nature encourages knowledge exchange, best practice sharing, and partnership building among officials from Labour ministries, Immigration departments and National Statistics Offices. By fostering a unified and cohesive approach to migration governance, SADC and IOM aim to enhance data quality, completeness, and consistency across the region.

”The key challenge is to find the right policies and processes to facilitate migration and protect the rights of migrants, irrespective of their status, and transform migration into a win-win situation for the SADC member states”, said Mr. Mati Hashemee, IOM Regional Director for Southern Africa.

In the course of the meeting, governments will  be examining GCM matrix reports, discussing data quality and challenges, and preparing presentations to identify areas for improvement and establish mechanisms for enhancing future reporting efforts.

This joint undertaking between SADC and IOM underscores the commitment of both partners to promote safe, orderly, and regular migration in the region.   By working together, SADC and IOM seek to advance migration management practices to support regional development, integration, and peace and security.

For media inquiries, please contact:

IOM Communication Office: Abibo Ngandu, angandu@iom.int