The United Kingdom's Department for International Development
(DFID) is to sign an agreement with IOM today supporting the East
African Community (EAC) in efforts to harmonize migration
management in the region.

The agreement will contribute towards overall efforts to ensure
free and safe movement of people between EAC partner states while
tackling issues such as irregular migration, smuggling, human
trafficking and labour migration

Large refugee movements and internally displaced people, labour
migration, irregular migration (including trafficking and human
smuggling) and traditional temporary migration characterize East
Africa's migration flows. Many of the migrants originating from the
EAC Partner States remain within the region, making the EAC Partner
States countries of origin, transit and destination.

Studies have shown that countries in the region are also source
and transit countries for both refugee and irregular migrant flows
along the Mediterranean Route (from the region to Sudan, Egypt,
Libya and onwards to Europe), and the southern route towards South
Africa. 

With the EAC and its partner states aiming to establish a common
market for the free movement of people by 2010, several issues and
hurdles need to be addressed such as national security, migrants'
and workers rights, refugee protection and human trafficking.

Funding of £507,000 (US$821,000) from DFID will allow IOM
to support the EAC Secretariat and partner States - Kenya, Uganda,
Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi - to strengthen their capacity to
address these migration issues.

This will be through technical support to a new Migration Desk
to be established at the EAC Secretariat, increasing migration
expertise at EAC policy making level. It will also help ensure that
migration is incorporated into the common market protocol and
provide information to the Secretariat and partner states on
emerging migration challenges and possible interventions.

In addition, a Regional Advisory Committee will be set up to
enhance dialogue on migration with other regions and countries and
a Migration Resource Centre established in Arusha at the EAC
Secretariat. This will include a physical and online library for
the collection and sharing of information on migration trends and
practices.

The project will be implemented as a component of TradeMark East
Africa, a multi-donor initiative managed by DFID to promote
regional economic integration. It works with the EAC Secretariat,
partner state governments, civil society organisations and
businesses to promote greater regional integration and trade
competitiveness in East Africa. The British High Commission will
also be involved in overseeing the implementation of this
project.

For more information please contact:

DFID & British High Commission, Nairobi

IOM in Kenya:

Tal Raviv

E-mail: "mailto:traviv@iom.int">traviv@iom.int