Description

The project is a reflection of a number of requests to the ILO for cooperation on labour migration management, reiterated by West African stakeholders at the International Migration Policy Seminar for West Africa in Dakar (December 2001) and by repesentatives of East African States at the International Migration Policy Seminar for East Africa and the Horn of Africa in Nairobi (May 2002).   As such, the project takes into consideration existing regional integration schemes, notably those of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) and the East African Community (EAC). However, it also recognizes the broader development and international cooperation frameworks articulated by the African Union,  NEPAD (The New Partnership for Africa's Development) and the recent European Council meetings in Seville (June 2002) and Thessaloniki (June 2003).      ACTIVITIES   The main purpose of the project activities is to assist African States and social partners in defining, elaborating and implementing effective mechanisms for a comprehensive approach to the management of labour migration. More specifically, the project seeks to support measures that will enhance the effective contribution of labour migration to regional integration and development, particularly in the context of the 5+5 Dialogue in the Maghreb and the sub-regional integration schemes represented by ECOWAS and EAC.   During the pilot phase project activities will include: Consultations with key stakeholders/constituents Promotion of regional networking strategies Capacity enhancement on migration statistics Capacity enhancement on migration legislation and policy Capacity enhancement through research on the migration and development nexus Dialogue and cooperation on sub-regional and inter-regional frameworks for migration governance Consultation with workers and employers organizations on policies regarding migrant workers   MANAGEMENT   The International Migration Programme at the International Labour Office and the Social Protection Programme at the International Training Center of the ILO as well as the various ILO Area Offices (Algiers, Dakar, Dar es Salaam) covering  the respective sub-region are responsible for the programme implementation.   Project teams have also been established for each of the three regional components of the project, comprising local programme staff who are assisted by consultant researchers and experts for the entire duration of the project. Each working team, working in close collaboration with the ILO offices in the respective sub-regions has multiple responsibilities regarding its respective region. These include:  to coordinate research to fill-in identified knowledge gaps, to consult and incorporate government and social partners, to identify specific technical assistance needs, to prepare and conduct technical advisory missions, to elaborate policy option proposals, to organize and manage sub-regional capacity building seminars, to liaise with ILO and other partner organisation, to manage other project activity and contribute to project evaluation and reporting.    RELEVANCE   In applying ILO's long-term expertise and strategic approach to developing management of international labour migration, the project is explicitly intended to complement and enhance EU policy for cooperation on international migration. It specifically intends to elaborate a new paradigm of managing labour migration through regional, sub-regional and inter-regional mechanisms, in order to facilitate regional cooperation and integration, and to address the increasing inadequacies of bi-lateral mechanisms in multi-lateral contexts.   Elaboration of needed policy and practical measures in full consultation and cooperation with concerned governments, international institutions and social partners is intended to ensure a significant degree of political ownership.  Given the rapid evolution of regional economic integration initiatives world-wide, ILO anticipates that the experience gathered through this pilot project will be of great interest to other regional and inter-regional contexts.  It is hoped that the project will pave the way for increased cooperation on migration among and between African staes as well as with interested EU member States.   DONORS   The project is supported by the European Union and by the International Labour Organization. The participation of Women's  Associations in the training seminars and capacity building component was reinforced thanks to the financial support of AGFUND.

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