The African Migration Observatory (AMO) hosted a regional training workshop aimed at enhancing migration data competence for evidence-based policymaking for the East African Community (EAC)
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Amb. Namira Negm (Dr), Director of the African Migration Observatory (AMO), opened the workshop with remarks emphasizing the role of AMO and the importance of developing standardized methodologies for collecting migration data. This initiative seeks to establish robust migration governance in Africa. She highlighted AMO's goal to create a unified data hub, providing a platform for African-owned data to improve policymaking and challenge narratives. Notably, 80% of migration occurs within Africa, with significantly fewer individuals crossing the Mediterranean. This data challenges the narrative that migration is solely a concern for Europe. Ambassador Negm also underscored that migrants contribute to addressing Europeβs aging population and fostering economic growth. She emphasized the importance of strengthening data collection in EAC partner states and deepening the understanding of regional contexts to leverage local capacities for better migration management.
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Priscilla Ndayara from the EAC Secretariat discussed the challenges of inefficient data sharing and lack of standardization among EAC partner states. She outlined efforts to create harmonization guidelines for migration statistics aligned with international standards, emphasizing the importance of national coordination to improve data quality. Strengthening National Coordination Committees on Migration Statistics was noted as a best practice.
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The workshop focuses on enhancing migration data capabilities through sessions on data collection techniques, ethical practices for displaced populations, and advanced data analysis methods. It explored emerging technologies and their impact on migration research. Expert-led discussions with representatives from IOM - UN Migration, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNODC shared best practices for utilizing migration data in programming and advocacy.
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This training is part of a series of workshops organized by AMO aimed at improving collaboration with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and strengthening the competence of the national institutions to produce timely and disaggregated migration data and knowledge. This training represents an important step towards creating a data-driven migration governance framework across Africa, ensuring that policymakers, researchers, and communities have access to reliable data.
