October 15, 20225 (DJIBOUTI, Djibouti): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), will convene the Third IGAD Ministerial Conference on Labour, Employment and Labour Migration from 20 to 22 October 2025 at the Argyle Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The conference is organized in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) as part of the Project on Support to Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD region project financed by the European Union,
The three-day conference will bring together Ministers of Labour and Employment, Ministers of Interior, senior government officials, technical experts alongside representatives of the African Union, European Union, United Nations agencies, INTERPOL and EAPCO, and Social Partners from IGAD Member States namely Confederation of Trade Unions (HACTU), Confederation of IGAD Employers (CIE), International Trade Union Confederation Africa (ITUC Africa) and IGAD Development Partners. The event provides a strategic platform for policy dialogue and regional cooperation on labour, employment, migration governance and economic prosperity in the IGAD Region.
Theme:
“Improving Labour Migration and Mobility Governance for Prosperity”
Key Topics
- Tracking implementation of the Djibouti Declaration on Labour, Employment and Labour Migration and its Plan of Action
- Labour migration governance and protection of migrant workers;
- Addressing irregular migration and humanitarian concerns along the Red Sea Route;
- Advancing the IGAD Single Visa Initiative for non-IGAD traveller for tourism, trade and investment;
- Launch of the EU-funded Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance Project (FMPT II)
Expected Outcome
A Communiqué of IGAD Ministers of Labour and Ministers of Interior on renewed regional commitments to decent work, fair migration governance, protection of migrants, enhanced mobility of workers and travellers for inclusive economic growth and prosperity.
The Ministerial Conference will be preceded by a two-day experts’ meeting from 20 to 21 October, bringing together experts from ministry of labour, interior, and foreign affairs, as well as representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations. The experts will review progress in implementing the Djibouti Declaration, examine the potential for implementing the IGAD Single Visa for non-IGAD travellers for trade, tourism sand investment and address humanitarian issues on the Red Sea Route of Irregular migration.
On 22 October, Ministers of Labour and Employment and Ministers of Interior from IGAD Member States will convene for the ministerial session to consider the experts’ recommendations and issue a Ministerial Communique. The session will also mark the official launch of the European Union–funded project “Support to Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance (FMPT II),” a flagship initiative aimed at promoting free movement of persons, transhumance and regular labour migration in and out of the IGAD region.
The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, State Department for Labour and Skills Development, Government of the Republic of Kenya, Hon. Dr. Alfred N. Mutua will officiate both events.
Media representatives are invited to cover the opening and closing sessions as well as the launch of FMPT II. Accredited journalists will have access to interviews with ministers, IGAD leadership, and key development partners.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Austin Opata
Head of Communications Unit
IGAD Secretariat
Email: Austin.Opata@igad.int
Homa Mulisa Ejeta
Senior Communication and Information Management Assistant
ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia
Email: ejeta@ilo.org
