MIGRATION IS IMPORTANT BUT REQUIRES MONITORING, UN official says

The East and Horn of Africa require attention and careful monitoring through 2023 and beyond, a United Nations official says.

Ms. Laura Nistri, Regional Data Hub Coordinator at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration agency for East and horn of Africa says that the migration complexity in the region contributes considerably to conflict, climate and hunger hotspot.

Nistri says that migration has brought about remarkable positive contributions such as the transfer of skills, knowledge and remittances and the creation of diverse and vibrant communities to the east and Horn of Africa region.

“However, the migratory landscape of this region is one of continually shifting challenges, dynamics and needs,” Nistri tells delegates attending the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states during a workshop on migration in Nairobi.

Nistri notes that in the past year, drivers such as unsettled conflicts, unprecedented drought conditions and socioeconomic difficulties continued to fuel high levels of internal displacements and cross-border movements, further exacerbating vulnerabilities and inequalities.

She observed that the recent humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan has dramatically impacted the stability of the whole region, pushing millions of individuals to flee within and outside the country.

Nistri notes that the ongoing coordination efforts to enhance migration data harmonization and consolidation across national migration data systems will help expand a more systematic evidence-based analysis of the complex migration.

Charles Ogolla, head of statistics, planning, coordination and partnership division at IGAD says that IGAD member states are due to apply innovative solutions in strengthening migration and displacement data systems.

Ogolla says that the innovative solutions will help with the analysis of migrant’s social and economic implications, and devise evidence-based strategies to ensure their well-being and integration.

He adds that the availability of reliable data will allow member states to better understand migration and displacement patterns.

Ogolla says that accurate and comprehensive migration and displacement data is essential for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to effectively respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by this phenomenon.

The official adds that the region’s countries require accurate and comparable migration and displacement statistics since they simultaneously are the origin, transit, and destination countries for migrants and refugees.

He notes that statistics play a crucial role in understanding migration patterns, formulating evidence-based policies, and facilitating international, regional, and national cooperation.

Ogolla observes that many IGAD countries are facing challenges in migration management, including a lack of sufficient data and its effective use, capacity, and policy coherence.

He adds that responsible management of migration and effectively addressing forced displacement are key priorities for the region.

Nougbodohoue Ssmson Bel-Aube, statistician at the African Union Institute of Statistics (STATAFRIC) says that there is a need to set up an information system on migration in Africa.

Bel-Aube notes that there are plans to have in place an African statistics system with high quality, reliable and updated migration statistics at the national, regional, and continental level.

The system he says will enable better understanding of the migration phenomenon, development of targeted policies, good planning and better decision making.

Over 60 delegates from eight IGAD member states and development partners included statistics, labor, immigration, foreign affairs and national coordination mechanisms experts.