DAR ES SALAAM, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) ministers responsible for EAC affairs, labor, home affairs and directorates of immigration have endorsed the establishment of the regional consultative process on migration in the region, the EAC said in a statement on Friday.
The statement issued by the EAC headquarters in Tanzania's northern city of Arusha said the regional consultative process on migration will provide a platform for information-sharing and policy dialogue dedicated to deliberate on specific migration issues in a comprehensive manner among EAC member states.
The regional consultative process on migration is expected to enhance networking relations amongst relevant governments' ministries, departments and agencies with migration-related mandates and enhance linkages and partnerships with the national, regional, continental and global platforms, it said.
Establishment of the regional consultative process on migration will not only create a platform for member states to collectively consult on migration governance issues beyond labor but also offer a forum for multi-sectoral collaboration on migration matters, said Christophe Bazivamo, the EAC deputy secretary general in charge of Productive and Social sectors.
Mohammed Abdiker, the East and Horn of Africa regional director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said the regional consultative process on migration once established, will be a critical step for the region towards a common approach in addressing migration in a holistic manner against the backdrop of intensifying regional efforts to reinforce migration-related commitments and relevant implementation frameworks.
The EAC member states are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ■