Mogadishu (AX) — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development has intensified consultations in Mogadishu on Wednesday to build national support for Somalia’s ratification and implementation of the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons.
The consultations brought together representatives of workers’ organizations, journalists and government institutions to discuss how the protocol could promote regional integration, improve labour migration governance and expand economic opportunities for Somali citizens.
As part of the engagement, an IGAD delegation and the leadership of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) discussed on cooperation on ratification and implementation of the protocol.
Participants also debated ways to promote safe, orderly and regular labour mobility while protecting the rights of migrant workers and creating more opportunities for employment and trade across the region.
FESTU reaffirmed organized labour’s support for the protocol, describing it as an important regional instrument that could improve livelihoods and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
“This protocol is about creating opportunities for people. It has the potential to expand access to decent work, facilitate lawful labour mobility and strengthen economic cooperation across the region. We believe its successful implementation will benefit workers, employers and communities alike while ensuring that labour migration is properly governed and workers’ rights are respected,” FESTU General Secretary Omar Faruk Osman said.
The IGAD delegation also met senior Somali journalists at FESTU headquarters, emphasizing the media’s role in promoting public understanding of the protocol and encouraging informed debate on regional integration and labour mobility.
IGAD Senior Programme Coordinator Lucy Daxbacher said public awareness would be central to the success of the initiative.
“The benefits of regional integration can only be fully realised when people understand what the Protocol provides and how it affects their daily lives,” Daxbacher said. “The media has an essential role in presenting accurate information that enables citizens to engage constructively with this important regional process.”
The consultations took place alongside a three-day national workshop launched by IGAD in Mogadishu on Tuesday.
The forum brought together representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia, workers’ and employers’ organizations and other public institutions to identify practical steps for accelerating ratification and implementation of the protocol.
The IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons grants citizens of member states the right to enter, stay, move freely, study and work across the Horn of Africa region.
The protocol is designed to promote regional integration and help mitigate the effects of climate-related disasters. It also introduces frameworks for interoperable IDs and single visas.
Somalia signed the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons on March 5, 2023, marking a step toward strengthening regional integration, economic cooperation and labor mobility.
