The Intergovernmental Authority of Development (IGAD) is one of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of the African Union (AU) comprising Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, thus forming a vast and complex region. The region also faces a wide range of socio- economic development challenges including forced migration and displacement, climate change, food insecurity, conflict, low levels of industrialization and trade, high levels of unemployment, poor infrastructure and unplanned, fast-growing urbanization.

While the region has experienced economic growth in recent years, with a 7 per cent increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita between 2021 to 2022, this is yet to translate into creation of decent and productive jobs for the steadily growing population, approximately 60 per cent of whom are of working-age. The region has also recorded an increase in unemployment rate from 14.3 per cent to 15.9 per cent between 2012 and 2022 suggesting that labour markets continue to struggle to absorb the large number of new entrants to the labour force each year as result of population growth. The region has an estimated labour force participation rate at 69.5 per cent with high level of asymmetry based on gender with women’s labour participation remaining low. Further, the average gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was recorded at USD1,369 in 2022 with wide economic disparities within the region. Agriculture remains a key sector of the economies of the IGAD members states, employing more than 80 per cent of the population, despite the region being the most vulnerable region within the African continent to climatic variation. Lack of diversified economic base particularly reliance on subsistence agriculture, narrow private sector, mismatch between skill supply and demand and limited capacity of labour market institutions, among other things, put significant barriers to harness the potential of a young active labour force in the region.

The region is also characterized by mixed migration flows driven by a wide range of interrelated factors – socio-economic, political, and environmental – leading to complex migration patterns within and from the region. There has been steady increase in international migration, particularly of those of working age across the member states, from 3.6 million international migrants in 2012 to 7.5 million in 2022 with consistent growth in international migration of both men and women. As per the ILO estimates, the African continent recorded 14.3 million international migrants in the labour force as of 2022. The IGAD region is region of destination, transit and origin, particularly for migrant workers going to the Middle East. Limited option for regular migration remains a key challenge in the region, compelling migrants to opt for clandestine and irregular migration pathways, leaving them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. The Red Sea Route is a key pathway for irregular migrants from the Horn of Africa States, particularly from Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti to the Gulf States via Yemen with Saudi Arabia as the main destination, primarily seeking livelihood opportunities. With more than 60,000 migrants arriving in Yemen

Broadly, the third IGAD Ministerial Conference on labour employment and labour migration is intended to convene relevant ministries and Social Partners in IGAD member States to take stock of the progress made on labour, employment and labour migration governance in the IGAD region and further examine challenges and opportunities in the East Africa – Arab States corridor, as well as the IGAD Tourist Visa Initiative.

More specifically, the conference will:

1. Take stock of the progress made by the member states in relation to the seven pillars of the Djibouti Declaration, including challenges experienced and lessons learnt.
2. Deliberate and design strategies to address challenges and maximize opportunities in East and Horn of Africa – Middle East migration corridor, both regular and irregular (via Red Sea Route) through design of joint actions to address root causes, humanitarian needs, decent work deficits and abysmal working conditions of migrant works enroute and in countries of destination.
3. Present and discuss the IGAD Single Visa Initiative and ID system to advance free movement of people, trade, truism and regional integration and
4. Provide an overview of and officially launch the second phase of the project on Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance Phase II (FMPT – Phase II)

The Conference:

The third IGAD Ministerial Conference on Labour, Employment and Labour Migration will take place 22nd October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. The ministerial conference will be preceded by a two-days experts meeting, 20th – 21st October 2025, as elaborated below. Detailed information about the conference is available in the draft agenda annexed to this concept note.

• Technical Experts Meeting: A two-day expert meeting, 20th – 21st October 2025, will be organized to bring experts of IGAD Member States and Social partners to deliberate on the above three themes and come up with clear recommendations to overcome the challenges and exploit opportunities. At the end of the two-day expert segment of the conference, the experts will draft recommendations for the Ministerial Conference scheduled on 22nd October 2025.
• Ministerial Conference: The Ministerial Conference will be attended by Ministers of Labour and Employment of IGAD Member States as well as the Ministers of Interior. The meeting will consider the Report of the technical experts meeting and thereafter issue a Communique of the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Labour, Employment and Labour Migration in IGAD Region. In adiditon, the minsters will officially launch “Support to Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in IGAD Region”, FMPT – Phase II project.Language: The Expert Session and the 3rd Session of the Ministerial Conference will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation in Arabic and French.

Theme II. Irregular Migration through the Red Sea Route:

Migration through the Eastern Route towards the Arabian Peninsula and in particular Saudi Arabia does not always take place through regular channels. Many migrants, primarily men, migrate irregularly overland via Djibouti and Somalia7, towards the Arabian Gulf also known as the Red Sea Route given the approximately 6,960 Kilometres of coastline with the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Toudjoura and the Red Sea.8. Historically, this has been one of the busiest and riskiest maritime migration routes in the world, travelled by hundreds of thousands of migrants, most of whom travel irregularly, often relying on smugglers to facilitate the movement.