Sixth Africa Resilience Forum Concludes with AfDB–IOM Pact on Migration and Development
The Sixth Africa Resilience Forum concluded in Abidjan with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), paving the way for enhanced cooperation to harness migration as a driver of peace, resilience and inclusive development across Africa.
The agreement formalises joint efforts in three key areas: migration governance for inclusive development, prosperity and peace; engaging the African diaspora for development; and strengthening responses to internal displacement.
AfDB Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo, said the partnership reflected the Bank’s vision under President Sidi Ould Tah to address fragility and build resilience. “When managed well, migration is not a problem to be contained, but a powerful driver of inclusive development and resilience,” she noted.
IOM Chief of Staff Mohamed Abdiker welcomed the collaboration, stressing that the partnership brings together the AfDB’s financial and technical leadership with IOM’s field expertise. “This partnership creates solutions that place women, youth and vulnerable groups at the centre of Africa’s transformation,” Abdiker said.
The forum, held under the theme “Prioritising Prevention: Financing Peace in a Changing Development Cooperation Landscape”, convened governments, civil society, private sector actors and international partners including UNHCR, UNDP, WFP, IOM, the OECD, Interpeace and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Discussions centred on food security, youth entrepreneurship, climate-peace linkages, private investment in fragile contexts, and the potential of artificial intelligence in peacebuilding.
Vice President Nwabufo highlighted the forum’s central message: a shift from reactive crisis management to anticipatory prevention. “We must move from managing crises to mitigating risks before they escalate. We are not merely reacting to conflict—we are investing in peace,” she said.
In his closing remarks, Yero Baldeh, Director of the Bank’s Transition States Coordination Office, underscored the significance of the deliberations. “This forum has reaffirmed our shared commitment to resilience and reminded us that prevention is possible, peace is investable, and Africa is ready,” he said.
The Forum will continue on Friday, 3 October, with a dedicated Partnership Day at the AfDB headquarters, offering participants an opportunity for deeper
