AfDB and IOM Discuss Strengthening Migration and Development Collaboration in Africa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are exploring closer collaboration to address migration and development challenges across Africa.
Leaders from both organizations met at the Bank Group’s headquarters in Abidjan to discuss formalizing their partnership, building on their joint 2023 report on migration and development in Africa.
AfDB Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade highlighted the productive relationship between the institutions, emphasizing the importance of leveraging their combined strengths.
“We aim to be more targeted and concrete in our approach, showing that well-managed migration benefits everyone involved,” she stated.
IOM Director General Amy Pope expressed the organization’s goal of ensuring migration occurs safely and with dignity, empowering individuals to contribute to their personal and national development.
The discussions centered on addressing root causes of migration, including climate change and youth unemployment. Sylvia Lopez-Ekra, IOM Regional Director for West and Central Africa, noted that migration along the Atlantic route has surged by 150% in recent years.
Both institutions agreed on the importance of joint policy research, knowledge sharing, and designing projects that mitigate migration drivers, particularly climate change and inadequate job opportunities.
