MEDIA ADVISORY

The 4th Pan-African Forum on Migration (PAFOM)

What: The Fourth Pan African Forum on Migration (PAFoM IV). The three-day Conference will be held under the theme: ‘Harnessing the benefits of Free Movement of persons regime for sustainable development in Africa’.

When: 19-21 November 2018 starting at 8:00 am on the 19th November 2018.

Where: Palais de Peuple; Djibouti City, Djibouti.

Who: The Fourth Pan African Forum on Migration (PAFoM IV) will be hosted by the Government of Djibouti in collaboration with the African Union Commission, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Why: The Forum aims to provide a more focused engagement with all relevant Migration stakeholders including RECs, AU Member States, private sector, academia, parliamentarians, African diaspora community and civil society organizations in Africa. Others will include African trade unions, National Human Rights institutions, Local Authorities, the Media and relevant UN and International Non-Governmental Organizations with Migration mandate.

Specific Objectives:

a) Provide an opportunity for participants to assess the progress made towards sensitization of the Protocol on Free Movement identify benefits so far and challenges faced by Member States in the ratification of the Protocol on Free Movement in Africa and develop solutions on the same;

b) Identify specific concerns including those of country of destinations and host communities in implementation of the Protocol with the view of developing relevant strategies to address them;

c) Provide a platform for the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs) to brief and updates participants on their migration initiatives and share experiences and best practices accordingly; and

d) Update participants on Africa’s Union Migration agenda and processes at both continental and international levels in order to promote a common understanding migration issues in the continent.

Expected Outputs / Outcomes:

It is expected that the Forum will inter-alia result in the following outcomes:

a) A progress report on the implementation status of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons with clear recommendations on how the AU and other stakeholders can fast track the ratification and implementation process by Member States within the continent.

b) A Status update of different migration related activities undertaken by RECs and RCPs with a view of identifying potential areas of collaboration, benchmarking and sharing best practices among RECs within the framework of Protocol on Free Movement of persons in Africa and other continental migration agenda.

c) A common understanding of African Union Migration Agenda and position on various migration issues in the continent.

Background:

PAFoM seeks to provide a platform where participants will have an opportunity to reflect on the progress made so far in the implementation of this Protocol and challenges therein. The meeting will also take stock of the progress taken so far by different Member States to implement and or ascend the Protocol after the Kigali meeting in April 2018. This reflection will also provide an opportunity to strengthen advocacy strategies targeting those Member States that have not ratified and domesticated the Protocol to encourage them to hasten the process with the aim of promoting free movement in the continent. The meeting will also take stock of other Migration management initiatives in the continent including the progress made in the implementation of the revised Migration Policy Framework (MPFA) and provide update and initial discussions on how the continent can implement the Global Compact on Migration once adopted in Marrakesh, Morocco by end of this year. As an overall Continental Migration Dialogue Initiative, this year’s PAFoM will also provide an opportunity for RECs and Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs) to update participants on progress made on different migration initiatives in their areas to promote information sharing and synergies among RECs and Member States.

The 2018 African Union Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.987 (XXXII) adopted the revised Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) and its 12 Year Action Plan. The Decision further requested African Union Member States to align their Migration Policy Frameworks with the new continental framework including its Plan of Action. This decision is a follow up of the 2006 Executive Council Decision (EX.CL/276 (IX)) on the Migration Policy Framework for Africa specifically requested the AU Commission to work with IOM and other relevant partners to assist Member States to strengthen migration governance and collaboration among themselves. The Common African Position (CAP) on the Global Compact on safe, orderly and regular Migration; that was endorsed by Executive Council and the AU Assembly in 2018 also provides a Policy directive to AU Member States to speak with one voice on all important issues on migration during the intergovernmental negotiations on migration.

Representatives of the media, especially those based in Djibouti, are invited to cover the event. The Programme is available at: https://au.int/en/newsevents/20181119/4th-pan-african-forum-migration-pafom

For media inquiries, please contact:
1. Mrs. Wynne Musabayana| Head, Communication Division| Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: Musabayanaw@africa-union.org
2. Mr. Gamal Ahmed A. Karrar| Communication Officer| Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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