Grounding Labour Migration Interventions in Evidence

On 23 March 2026, the ILO, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS), convened a Baseline Survey Stakeholder Validation Workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the new EU-funded four-year project entitled “Strengthening inter-regional cooperation for safe, regular, and orderly Labour Migration in Ethiopia”. The workshop brought together 32 participants (9 female) representing the Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA), Ethiopian Statistics Service (ESS), regional bureaus of labour and skills, polytechnic colleges, the Confederation of Ethiopian Employers Association (CEEA), the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU), Ethiopian Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (EOEAF) and international partners including the IOM, GIZ and CSOs. The project aimed at strengthening the capacity of Ethiopian institutions to improve labour migration governance, seeks to expand safe, regular and rights-based labour migration opportunities while reducing irregular migration and enhancing protection for Ethiopian workers throughout the migration cycle.

Ethiopian labour migration, primarily directed toward the Middle East and beyond, is a critical socio-economic phenomenon affecting millions of workers and households. Youth aged 15 to 29 represent nearly 78 per cent of Ethiopian migrants, while women constitute a substantial share. Despite this scale, persistent governance and coordination challenges continue to undermine safe, regular and orderly migration. Limited pathways for regular migration, weak skills recognition mechanisms, inconsistent pre-departure preparation, and insufficient coordination between federal and regional authorities have contributed to high levels of irregular migration and inadequate worker protection.

Labour migration governance is a shared responsibility. It requires an integrated, multi-stakeholder effort that brings together public institutions, social partners, civil society, training providers, and international partners - said Dr. Daniel Teressa, State Minister of Labour and Skills, MoLS.

The workshop was focused on validating the baseline assessment findings, carried out from mid-January to mid-March. It provided baseline values for project indicators across the four strategic pillars: institutional monitoring and evidence-based policy development, skills development for migrant workers, protection systems across the migration continuum, and professionalisation of overseas recruitment. Plenary presentations and breakout sessions enabled stakeholders to review indicator matrices, address data gaps, and provide technical inputs to strengthen the evidence base guiding project implementation.

The workshop generated consensus around survey findings and baseline indicator values to guide project implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Through interactive discussions, stakeholder ensured the assessment accurately reflects Ethiopia’s labour migration landscape at national level and across regions with a focus on Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Oromia and Tigray region. Furthermore, the baseline survey provided actionable recommendations grounded in field realities and tailored to address the needs of migrant workers at every stage of their journey. With findings formally endorsed and stakeholders ownership strengthened, the project now has the evidence-based foundation needed to advance Ethiopia's commitment to safe, regular and rights-based labour migration governance.