Regional Research Conference Strengthens Evidence-Based Dialogue on Labour Migration and Development in the East and Horn of Africa

From 17 to 19 September 2025, Dire Dawa University, in collaboration with the Addis Ababa University and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme, convened a Regional Research Conference on Labour Migration and Development in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. Held under the theme “Labour Migration and Development in East and Horn of Africa,” the conference brought together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to examine labour migration dynamics, governance challenges, and development linkages. The event served as a regional platform for evidence-based dialogue and knowledge exchange on labour migration across the East and Horn of Africa.

Labour migration in the East and Horn of Africa is increasingly driven by intersecting economic pressures, conflict, environmental stress, and entrenched migration networks. The region has become one of the most fragile labour migration corridors in Africa, with growing numbers of young people migrating in search of employment, often through irregular pathways. In response, universities and policy institutions play a critical role in generating research, informing policy, and strengthening governance frameworks. Under BRMM Phase II, the ILO supports initiatives that link academic research with policy processes to promote safe, orderly, and rights-based labour migration. The conference was organised to address these needs through structured research and policy dialogue.

The three-day conference brought together 205 participants, including professors, researchers, government officials, international organisations, and development partners from Ethiopia and across the East and Horn of Africa. Professors from 22 universities presented research papers, with contributions from Ethiopian institutions as well as universities from Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, South Sudan, and Djibouti. A total of 74 abstracts were received, 35 selected for full paper submission, and 15 papers presented following peer review.

The programme included opening and keynote addresses, manuscript presentations across four thematic syndicate sessions, two panel discussions, a press conference, and a consultative meeting. Discussions focused on labour migration dynamics, protection against exploitation, socio-economic and environmental impacts, policy and legal frameworks, and post-migration reintegration. Panel sessions addressed migration data management, legal and policy frameworks, and the role of research in promoting migration governance.

A key outcome of the conference was the decision to establish a Regional Universities Knowledge Hub on labour migration, aimed at strengthening the link between research and policy across the region. The conference facilitated experience sharing among universities, policymakers, and practitioners, and generated evidence-based insights on migration drivers, vulnerabilities, human trafficking, gendered migration patterns, and the valuation of migrant workers. Participants highlighted the importance of reliable migration data, coordinated governance frameworks, and research-informed policy interventions. The event reinforced the role of academic institutions as critical partners in addressing labour migration challenges and supporting rights-based migration governance in the East and Horn of Africa.

The establishment of the Regional Universities Knowledge Hub marked a decisive step toward institutionalising research–policy collaboration on labour migration. Supported under the BRMM Programme, the hub is expected to serve as a platform for continued cooperation, knowledge generation, and policy engagement. By anchoring future migration policies in research and evidence, the initiative aims to promote more humane, equitable, and orderly labour migration outcomes across the region.