Making progresses towards free movement of persons in the IGAD region

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held its National Consultation Workshop towards the development of the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in Mogadishu, Somalia in February 2018. The four-day workshop brought together experts dealing on migration related issues as well as all national stakeholders from each of the Ministries and Authorities of Government, Civil Society Organizations, Academia, Private Sector and Media to contribute to effective migration governance.

The Ambassador of Ethiopia to Somalia, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, representatives from the European Union, UNHCR, IOM, as well as high level dignitaries from Somalia including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia and the Director General of Internal Security gave keynote speeches in support of the process while highlighting the benefits of a Protocol for the free movement of persons in the region. The National consultation aimed at getting inputs from national stakeholders and Experts on benefits and barriers to free movement of persons; deriving National Recommendations towards the Provisions of the Protocol and Developing a Road Map for the Negotiation and Adoption of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in the IGAD Region. The consultation was organised in the framework of the EU-funded regional project "Towards Free Movement and Transhumance in the IGAD region".