Addis Ababa (ILO News)-The virtual workshop on the Mapping Report of labour and skills needs in four Economic Co-operation and Development member countries, aimed at exploring a skills-based labour migration partnership with selected East and Horn of Africa countries, was held on April 18, 2024. The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders from the three countries of origin to review and approve the maping report.
The stakeholders were drawn from relevant sectors involved in skills-based labour migration in the respective origin countries, including skills development, education, labour migration, and the private sector, diaspora, public and private employment agencies to review and provide feedback on the draft report.
Against the backdrop of increasing global migration trends, with nearly 169 million migrant workers worldwide, the workshop underscored the importance of understanding labour market dynamics and the implications for both origin and destination countries. Labour migration is driven by the quest for decent work opportunities, demographic shifts that has occasioned labour shortages in some regions and oversupply in others, the report presented opportunities, legal frameworks, coordination, and experiences regarding labour migration partnerships in destination countries based on available officially published data and information. The report also analysed skills development patterns, legal and policy frameworks and coordination mechanisms, opportunities and gaps existing in the origin countries on promoting skills-based and demand led labour migration partnerships. The report concludes by suggesting possible actions that countries intending to engage in labour migration partnerships should take to ensure a mutually beneficial, rights based, and demand led skills-based labour migration partnership citing the need to balance labour supply and demand while addressing challenges such as skills mismatches and exploitation faced by migrant workers.
During the deliberation, stakeholders highlighted significant role played by skills-based migration partnerships in addressing labour and skills shortages. Generally, participants agreed with some of the gaps identified in the origin countries such as lack of reliable data on available stock of skilled workers that could fill labour shortages in relevant sectors in the destination countries. Where, trained workers are available, the differences in standards and language barriers were cited as some of the bottlenecks.
While countries like Japan, Australia, South Korea, and Canada have established labour mobility programs and partnerships with neighbouring countries in their respective regions, , the report highlighted the lack of such partnerships with countries in the East and Horn of Africa (EHOA) region. The report, aim at bridging information gap by providing stakeholders from both regions with consolidated labour market information to inform policies and explore opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.
Drawing attention to the challenges faced by migrant workers, particularly those from the EHoA region characterised as low-skilled, the report underscores the need for informed migration policies and enhanced collaboration between origin and destination countries. By addressing issues such as quality of training, aligning training standards and forging skills and qualification partnership countries can address labour market mismatches within labour migration such as skills underutilisation, deskilling, and brain drain, the workshop paved the way for more equitable and sustainable labour migration outcomes.
Through collaborative efforts, participants aimed to ensure that the final report incorporates stakeholder perspectives and serves as a valuable resource for shaping labour migration and skills development programs in the EHoA region. Moreover, the workshop provided a platform for knowledge exchange and networking among stakeholders, fostering a spirit of cooperation and collective action towards addressing the complex challenges of labour migration in the region.
Moving forward, the comments from the validation workshop are expected to be incorporated before final report is published. The report will be disseminated to constituents for possible uptake and actions on some of the recommendations as suitable to their respective countries. It is hoped that the information contained in the report may inform policy decisions and programmatic interventions aimed at promoting skills-based labour migration partnerships between countries of origin and destination. By harnessing the insights gained from the mapping exercise, stakeholders can develop targeted strategies to address labour market needs, enhance skills development, and maximise the potential benefits of labour migration for both individuals and economies. Through sustained collaboration and dialogue, the workshop laid the groundwork for advancing inclusive and rights-based approaches to labour migration, contributing to the realization of decent work and economic prosperity for all.
