April 17, 2025 (MACHAKOS, Kenya): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has facilitated the inaugural Workshop of the National Technical Working Committee on Migration and Displacement Statistics to coordinate and harmonise migration and displacement data collection and reporting in Kenya.
The main objective of the three-day first National Technical Working Committee workshop is to orient the Technical Working Committee Members with the Work of the Committee. Further, the TWC aimed to validate the TWC Terms of Reference and established protocols, review and map all migration, mobility and displacement statistics required at national and regional (RECs) levels; and develop a draft harmonized definition and concepts of migration, mobility and displacement statistics.
On behalf of the Director of the Health and Social Development Division, IGAD, Dr. Victoria Anib, Head of the Social Development Unit, highlighted that the Technical Working Committee is the foundation for a national data system that will serve future generations by providing accurate, inclusive, and harmonised data for effective migration governance.
Dr. Victoria urged the Kenya TWC to build a national data system that is inclusive, responsive, and globally respected. “This vital Technical Working Committee is a chance to shape how Kenya understands, plans for, and responds to migration realities for years to come, and this effort cannot succeed without the active collaboration of sector ministries, departments, and agencies. Your engagement will ensure the robustness and relevance of the data ecosystem we are building together,” she stressed.
Speaking on behalf of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and the Director General, Mr. Abdulkadir A. Awes, Director of the Population and Social Statistics, said that the workshop marks an important step in our efforts to address the growing demand for reliable, disaggregated, and timely migration data.
In addition, he observed that the TWC brings together representatives from government ministries and agencies as well as civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector who collaborate on the production, reporting and use of migration and displacement data within the national statistical system. “I reiterate the strong commitment of KNBS and the Director General to supporting this initiative and to ensuring that migration and displacement statistics are mainstreamed into our national development agenda and statistical outputs,” Mr. Abdulkadir stated.
In his presentation, Mr. Charles Ogolla, Head of Statistics, IGAD, explained that to lay the foundation for enhanced coordination and improved availability and quality of migration and displacement statistics for evidence-based decision making in Kenya, an inter-agency Technical Working Committee has been formed to address the need of the effective management of migration and displacement data. Further, Mr. Charles noted that Kenya is working towards strengthening its statistical systems to ensure that migration and displacement data are available and accessible.
Representative of the Director General, National Coordination Mechanism, Kenya and from the Ethiopian Statistical Services lauded efforts by members of the TWC to collaborate in improving the availability of quality migration and displacement statistics within the country. He urged members to scale up the use of administrative and citizen-generated data in decision-making.
The German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) provided financial and technical support through the Strengthening IGAD Migration Policy Implementation (SIMPI) project.
Notably, the inaugural convention of the TWC successfully achieved its key objectives, which included: (1) validating the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the TWC; (2) mapping existing migration and displacement indicators; and (3) developing a draft national migration and displacement data collection tool.
Notably, through this workshop, the Technical Working Committee (TWC) It is known that the IGAD Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics recognises that robust data systems are essential for planning, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and evidence-based policy-making and programming. Within IGAD, migration governance is anchored in the Regional Migration Policy Framework, which is aligned with the African Union’s Migration Policy Framework, offering a coherent regional approach to addressing strategic, thematic, and institutional challenges related to migration. In this regard, the IGAD Secretariat continues to support Member States towards harmonisation and improvement of the production and utilisation of Migration and Displacement Data in the IGAD region.
