The African Migration Observatory Enhances Migration Data Governance through Collaboration with Regional Economic Communities

Date:  28 February, 2025

Venue: Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco 

The African Migration Observatory Enhances Migration Data Governance through Collaboration with Regional Economic Communities

The African Migration Observatory (AMO) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a pivotal working session with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with the view to advance structured collaboration in migration data governance. The meeting which took place on 27 & 28 February 2025 in Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco, underscored the urgent need for a harmonized migration data collection and analysis to inform evidence-based policy-making across the African Continent.

Addressing the participants, Amb. Dr. Namira Negm, Director of AMO, highlighted the fundamental challenge of defining and normalizing migration categories across the continent. “We often struggle with defining who qualifies as a migrant. While asylum seekers and forced displacement cases are widely recognized, broader migration categories remain undefined, making data collection and governance complex,” she underlined.

 “The profile of those embarking on unsafe migration journeys has changed. It is no longer just young men; we now see entire families including women, children, and the elderly risking their lives. This demographic shift calls for a comprehensive policy response to ensure the protection and legal pathways for all migrants.” Emphasized the AMO Director.

The session placed particular emphasis on demographic shifts in migration patterns. Among others. Additionally, AMO has identified key pillars of action to strengthen migration data governance:

Institutional Engagement: Establishing sustainable partnerships with RECs and other key stakeholders.

Capacity Building: Training national and regional actors on standardized data collection methodologies.

Operationalizing Regional Data Hubs: AMO has already launched a regional data hub in collaboration with the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), with future initiatives planned for ECOWAS and IGAD.

Ms. Laura Palatini, Head of the IOM Mission, emphasized the critical role of data harmonization in regional integration and migration governance, highlighting migration as one of Africa’s defining phenomena that has shaped its socio-economic and political landscapes for centuries. She acknowledged the challenges in migration governance but stressed that they also present opportunities to strengthen systems, enhance cooperation, and develop data-driven policies.

Ms. Palatini underscored the need for stronger institutional engagement, improved methodologies, and enhanced technical capacities to ensure effective migration management. Data harmonization, she noted, is not just a technical necessity but a cornerstone of regional integration, enabling targeted interventions, protection mechanisms, and policies aligned with international commitments. This workshop, she added, is more than a follow-up meeting it marks a significant milestone in the collective effort to enhance migration data governance in Africa and reinforces the shared commitment to humane and orderly migration.

Mr. François Reybert-Degats, UNHCR Representative in Morocco, acknowledged AMO’s critical role in migration governance, stressing that, “Africa’s fast-growing and youthful population presents both opportunities and challenges. With 60% of Africa’s population under 25 and one in three working-age individuals globally expected to be African by 2050, migration data is key to shaping policies that maximizes benefits while mitigating risks.”

The working session brought together international organizations, including Representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the European Union (EU) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

For further information please contact:

African Migration Observatory (AMO) I African Union Commission I E-mail: AMO@africa-union.orgWeb: www.amo.au.int| Rabat/Morocco | Follow Us: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube