African high-ranking officials, composed of Director Generals, Chiefs, and Heads of Immigration of African Union Member States, academia, and migration experts, have gathered in Cape Town for the 9th Pan-African Forum on Migration (PAFoM IX), focusing on how technology can improve border management to facilitate human mobility, regional and continental integration, and international trade across the continent.
Under the theme “Leveraging Technology for Efficient Human Mobility and Trade in Africa,” the three-day forum brings together immigration chiefs, policymakers, academics, and international partners.
“This forum will explore ways to modernize border systems, strengthen legal identity frameworks, promote visa openness, and digitize immigration services, aligning with Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons,” said Dr. Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of Labor, Employment and Migration at the African Union Commission.
PAFoM IX responds to recommendations from the Eighth Forum (PAFoM VIII), held in Gaborone, Botswana, in 2023, which highlighted outdated border management procedures that hinder trade, complicate migration, and create bottlenecks affecting regional integration. The forum called for accelerated efforts to digitalize, automate, and integrate border management systems to enhance security and enable faster, safer cross-border movement.
PAFoM IX witnessed the handover of leadership of the forum from Botswana to South Africa, which will lead the continental platform for the next two years. Botswana, during its leadership, made notable advancements in migration management. “Botswana has led by example, developing a National Migration Policy, Migration Governance Indicators, and migration profiles, while entering bilateral agreements to facilitate labor migration and skills transfer,” said Mr. Rule Jimmy Opelo, Botswana’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Labor and Home Affairs.
As the new chair, South Africa aims to accelerate the adoption of digital solutions, such as biometric systems, electronic travel authorizations, and interoperable border platforms, to modernize migration governance, according to Mr. Thulani Mavuso, Acting Director-General of the South African Department of Home Affairs.
A key highlight of PAFoM IX will be the setting up of the Migration Advisory Council (MAC), a technical body under the AU’s Specialized Technical Committee on Migration, Refugees, and Internally Displaced Persons, which will provide expert guidance on migration governance.
The forum will conclude with the adoption of an outcome document and a special commemoration of International Migrants Day on 18 December 2025. A major event to raise the profile of the day will be the launch of the 10th edition of the Africa Visa Openness Index Report 2025, which is AUC and AfDB’s flagship publication that tracks AU Member States’ efforts in delivering a visa-free continent in Africa.
The Pan-African Forum on Migration was established in 2006 following the AU Executive Council Decision EX.CL/276(IX), providing a continental platform for stakeholders to address migration challenges across Africa.
