September 19,2022 (Entebbe, Uganda): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) commenced the third Migration and Displacement Statistics Technical Working Group workshop, on harmonisation and improvement of production and utilisation of Migration and Displacement Data in the Member States, today in Entebbe, Uganda.
The main objective of the five- day’s workshop is to improve the availability and quality of migration and displacement statistics within the IGAD region through; strengthening the capacity of national and regional actors in the production and use of migration and displacement statistics.
In her opening remarks, IGAD, Director of Health and Social Development Division, Madam Fathia Alwan disclosed that developing, and harmonising migration statistics in the region plays a significant role towards improved comparability of information and thus improving our management on migration governance at national and regional levels with reliable information.
“I am happy to see the diversity and rich experience and expertise of this team and I have faith that you will achieve the overall vision of ensuring we have quality and timely migration and displacement statistics in your respective countries and IGAD as whole.” She added.
Furthermore she vowed that IGAD continues with its work in supporting the harmonisation of data collection, processing and analysis practices at the Member States level and their alignment with international standards.
“IGAD Secretariat with the Member States and partners AUC/STATAFRIC, IOM, ILO, GIZ, and Statistics Sweden, are working to improve production and utilisation of the migration statistics.” She stated.
On the opening ceremony of the third Migration data and statistics technical working group Workshop, Sudan as IGAD Chair and representatives from the GIZ, ILO, IOM, Statistics Sweden and AUC/STATAFRIC also gave their opening remarks.
Migration statistics forms one of the technical working groups within the IGAD Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics. The establishment of the Technical Working Group is a unique opportunity for improving the availability and quality of migration and displacement statistics within the IGAD region.
The IGAD Secretariat, working with Partners and its Member States, has been at the forefront of improving quality migration statistics. The first edition of IGAD Migration Statistics Report showed that the migration trend in the region has been increasing over the years with women and children migrants increasing over the past decade.
At the third technical working group workshop, representatives of GIZ, ILO, IOM, Statistics Sweden, UNHCR, UNECA, AUC/STATAFRIC, and RECs as well as experts from the IGAD Member States and IGAD Secretariat participated.
This workshop is jointly organised and financial and technical supports provide by IGAD, Statistics Sweden, IOM, ILO, GIZ and AUC/STATRAFRIC.
At the end of this workshop the participants will be expected to agree on development of actionable roadmaps to establish and/or improve existing migration data sharing processes at the national and regional levels and the way forward on collection and management of migration and displacement data in the region.
The Regional Migration Policy Framework (RMPF) was adopted by the IGAD Council of Ministers in 2012 and has become the primary IGAD policy reference on migration and displacement. Its ultimate objective is to realize the well-being and protection of migrants, including IDPs and refugees, in all IGAD Member States and the realization of the developmental potential of migration. The IGAD RMPF is derived from the continental framework on Migration of the African Union (MPFA) adopted in Banjul in 2006.
