IGAD Seeks Broader Stakeholder Backing for Somalia's Free Movement Agenda

Mogadishu(SONNA)-Efforts to advance the ratification of the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons gathered momentum this week as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) expanded consultations with key Somali stakeholders, underscoring the importance of national ownership in implementing the regional agreement.

The initiative formed part of IGAD's ongoing engagement with Somalia to encourage wider understanding of the Protocol, which seeks to facilitate the movement of people across Member States while strengthening labour migration governance, regional trade and economic integration.

On Wednesday, an IGAD delegation met the leadership of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) to discuss how organised labour can contribute to the implementation of the Protocol and help ensure that workers benefit from greater regional mobility.

The meeting examined issues including the protection of migrant workers, promotion of decent work, labour market governance and the role of social dialogue in supporting safe, orderly and regular migration.

FESTU General Secretary Omar Faruk Osman said the protocol represents an opportunity to align regional mobility with workers' rights and economic development.

“Regional integration should improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

The Free Movement Protocol creates a framework that can support employment, facilitate skills mobility and strengthen legal pathways for workers across the region. As trade unions, we see this as an opportunity to promote decent work while ensuring that workers' rights remain at the heart of implementation.

“The delegation later met influential media professionals during a roundtable discussion hosted at FESTU headquarters, where participants explored how responsible reporting can help the public better understand the objectives of the Protocol and its potential impact on communities, businesses and regional cooperation.

IGAD Senior Programme Coordinator Lucy Daxbacher said successful implementation would require informed public participation. "The protocol is not simply about crossing borders.

It is about creating opportunities for people while strengthening cooperation between neighbouring countries. Journalists play a vital role in helping citizens understand these objectives through factual, balanced and accessible reporting.

“The stakeholder meetings coincided with a national three-day conference organised by IGAD in Mogadishu, bringing together representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia, employers, workers' organisations and other public institutions to discuss practical measures for advancing the ratification process. The forum is also reviewing ways to strengthen labour migration governance, improve coordination among institutions and reinforce regional collaboration on labour mobility.

Somalia is one of the IGAD member states that has signed the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons.

IGAD says its continued engagement with national stakeholders is intended to support the country's efforts to complete ratification and ensure the agreement contributes to inclusive economic growth, stronger regional integration and safe, orderly and regular movement of people throughout the Horn of Africa.