Skills Partnerships on migration in West Africa - Summary of ILO role and activities

16 October 2023

As a side event of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in 2018, the ILO, in collaboration with the International Trade Union Confederation and the International Organization of Employers, UNESCO and the International Organization for Migration, launched the Global Skills Partnership to support the development of skills partnerships between countries.

Following this event, the ILO conducted 13 country studies and two subregional scoping studies identifying the potential for skills partnerships on migration between different countries and skills institutions, including ministries, training providers, employment services, sectoral bodies and employers’ and workers’ organizations.

These studies provided the basis for the discussions that took place during the tripartite workshop for Western Africa and Sahel took place in Abuja, Nigeria between 11-13 September 2019. The event brought together 61 participants from 8 countries, along with partners from the Global Skills Partnership.

Recognising the lack of pathways between skills systems, the weakness of recognition of prior learning systems, and the lack of relevant upskilling and access to decent work for low and medium-skilled migrant workers, representatives from Nigeria, Ghana and Togo agreed to collaborate on the harmonization of certifications and standards to facilitate the portability of skills between the three countries.

With ILO support, a tripartite and tri-national working group engaged in an extensive process of consultations and workshops to conduct a needs assessment, select priority sectors and occupations, and review existing occupational and training standards.

The process focused on two priority sectors and three occupations with developed standards in all three countries. This led to the development and validation of harmonized minimum standards for three occupations: plumbing, masonry and poultry farmers in 2022.

ILO's work to promote Skills Partnerships on migration in West Africa was funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the SKILL-UP and Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning Programme with additional funding provided by the EU under the Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa project.