Views: 8
The First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda as well as the Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga has raised concerns over issues immigration citing it as challenge affecting the east African community
Kadaga has asked the regional members to partner together and resolve immigration issues as well as tackling challenges around labor migration
The first Deputy prime minister made remarks during the first regional consultative progress (RCP) on Immigration organized by the East African Community and the International Organization for Migration in Entebbe.
“The issue of immigration has been a challenge and we have been handling them bilaterally but I think it’s important that we sit together set up a common strategy but also the other area which is still a challenge is about labor migration, although we the common market protocol but one of the areas that’s not moving on well is labor. So, I hope we can find a common ground through this meeting,” Kadaga stated.
The meeting was attended by Ministers and senior government officials from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda to discuss challenges and opportunities on labour migration, skills gaps, immigration, cross-border trade, climate change induced migration and displacement, and trafficking
General James Hoth Mai, South Sudan’s Labour Minister emphasized the region should harmonize on immigration related policies to enable legal cross-border movement across the region.
“That’s why it is very important for us as the RCP forum to ensure migration is regulated, orderly and secured so that we protect our people, goods and services in the region” Hoth appealed.
The five-day meeting will enable officials to discuss emerging migration trends, share and exchange best practices from other Regional Economic Communities, and develop action plans on key thematic areas before issuing a Declaration.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to Uganda, Col. Joseph Rutabana also commended the significant achievements already made including the adoption of the EAC labor migration policy and its implementation plan that will improve border management and health risks faced by migrants.
“this serves as a foundation for harmonizing policies ,law and programs to maximize the benefits of migration for our citizens.”
Source:Nilepost.