November 20, 2024 (Mogadishu, Somalia): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has launched the first edition of the Migration Statistics Report 2024 to enhance the availability and quality of migration and displacement statistics in Somalia.
Speaking on behalf of Madam Fathia Alwan, Director of Health and Social Development, Mr. Charles Ogolla, Head of IGAD Statistics, described the Somalia Migration Statistics Report as a milestone achievement for Somalia and the IGAD region. He further emphasised IGAD’s commitment to supporting Somalia and all member states in building robust migration data systems, facilitating knowledge sharing, and promoting best practices.
“Today’s gathering has a unified purpose: to enhance the understanding of population movement and displacement and their profound impacts on our society, economy, and overall development,” Mr. Ogolla added.
In her opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Mariam Yassin Hagi Yussuf, the Special Presidential Envoy for Migration, Returns, and Children’s Rights, highlighted the main challenge Somalia currently faces: tracking irregular movements to, from, and through the country. She also commended the development of the first Somalia Migration Statistics Report, advocating for it to become a key reference for all migration-related matters and pledging to promote it in her engagements.
Ms. Priscilla Ndayara, a Statistician at the East African Community (EAC) for Migration Data, emphasised that the data and insights provided by the report would significantly contribute to future regional migration statistics reports. She underscored that understanding systems and processes will provide invaluable insights for strengthening and harmonising migration statistics, not only in Somalia but across the region.
Mr. Mohamed Abdullahi, Statistician at COMESA for Migration Data, noted that the dissemination of the first Somalia Migration Statistics Report underscores Somalia’s commitment to advancing migration data systems and ensuring effective collaboration in aligning concepts, definitions, and methodologies to produce high-quality migration statistics.
Mr. Alex Munyi, Operations Officer for the Displacement Tracking Matrix, Emergency, and Post-Crisis division of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Somalia, expressed his deepest gratitude to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Migration, Returns, and Children’s Rights. He also thanked the Deputy Directors of the Somali National Bureau of Statistics (SNBS), the National Commission for Refugees and IDPs (NCRI), and the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), as well as representatives from IGAD, EAC, COMESA, and other dignitaries from various organisations, ministries, and agencies who contributed to this remarkable achievement.
The Director of the Somali National Bureau of Statistics also delivered remarks at the event.
The meeting brought together participants from the Somali National Bureau of Statistics, the National Commission for Refugees and IDPs, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Migration, Returns, and Children’s Rights, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Migration and Citizenship Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Planning, Investment, and Economic Development, the Ministry of Education, the Central Bank of Somalia, and the Somali Disaster Management Agency.
The budget for the meeting was financed by GIZ/SIMPI.
In early 2020, the Federal Government of Somalia established the Somali National Bureau of Statistics to promote the production of independent, objective, and reliable statistics based on internationally recognised principles of statistics.
