Tanzania chairs regional labour migration committee
DODOMA: Tanzania has taken over the chairmanship of the Regional Technical Advisory Committee on Labour Mobility for East and Horn of Africa countries from Uganda, in a move aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in managing safe, orderly and regular labour migration.
The handover ceremony was held in Dodoma on Monday (August 17, 2026) and was attended by Permanent Secretaries and technical experts from the Technical Advisory Committee, including officials from labour and employment institutions, immigration departments, ministries of foreign affairs, the private sector and development partners.
Speaking during the ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office – Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Ms Mary Maganga, said the Government of Tanzania would build on the strong foundation established during Uganda’s chairmanship by continuing to strengthen regional cooperation, policy dialogue and coordinated measures for managing safe labour migration.
The Permanent Secretary added that labour mobility issues had been incorporated into Tanzania’s development agenda, including the National Development Vision 2050, which seeks to build a competitive, inclusive and high-income economy while improving the lives of all citizens.
“Tanzania has taken steps to strengthen employment creation and labour mobility. These include the National Skills Development Programme, strengthening employment services and labour market information systems, as well as promoting decent employment practices,” she said.
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Representing the Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Commissioner for Employment Services Dr Lawrence Egulu said the region was experiencing a growing number of workers from East and the Horn of Africa travelling to Gulf countries in the Middle East and other parts of the world in search of employment.
Against this backdrop, Dr Egulu urged member states to work closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to ensure migration continues to serve as a positive driver of development, protection and regional cooperation.
He also commended the Government of Tanzania for taking on the responsibility of chairing the platform.
For his part, IOM Uganda Chief Sanusi Savage said efforts to manage labour migration in the region had continued to increase, including initiatives to harness opportunities and benefits arising from migration, such as remittances from citizens working abroad, skills development and investment.
On March 24, 2026, ministers responsible for labour, senior government officials and technical experts from the East and Horn of Africa (EHoA) gathered in Uganda for the 7th Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM).
The forum brought together 11 member states: Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, alongside observer countries.
The forum underscored the importance of regional cooperation on labour migration, with key partners including the African Union Commission, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the East African Community (EAC), development partners, UN agencies and diplomatic missions.
Ministers and experts from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, as well as Lebanon and Jordan, were also invited to the forum.
