A Kenyan delegation is attending the 5th Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) commenced yesterday at Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This 4-day forum, concluding on Thursday, is centered around the harmonization of Labour Migration policies in the East and the Horn of Africa, aiming to present a unified approach to safe, regular, and humane labor migration.

The theme of the event is “Leveraging the potential of Regular migration pathways for youth employment, Skills Development, and Green Economy,” which is particularly relevant given the prevalent youth unemployment issue.

This challenge is exacerbated by the lack of essential skills and competencies among many individuals, often due to limited access to post-primary education, especially for those who are mobile, leading to school dropouts and substandard education quality.

Kenya has been at the forefront of ensuring continuous and effective labor migration for its citizens.

At the forum, Edith Okoki, Acting Director General of the National Employment Agency, outlined various measures taken by Kenya to safeguard migrant workers and uphold bilateral agreements.

She mentioned the launch of the National Skills Inventory, which has already enlisted over 29,000 citizens to align skill supply with demand and opportunities within the country.

President Ruto’s administration has established a dedicated desk for migrant workers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and a one-stop shop offering labor migration services at NSSF building 7th Floor Nairobi.

These are actions demonstrating the government’s commitment to facilitating a seamless, dignified, and efficient labor migration process in the country.