The African Union has launched the third phase of its flagship Joint Labour Migration Programme, JLMP, a four-year initiative valued at $16 million and designed to strengthen labour mobility governance across the continent.
The programme, scheduled to run from 2025 to 2029, is expected to focus on improving policy coherence, strengthening labour migration data systems, advancing skills recognition, promoting portable social protection and deepening regional integration.
The JLMP, coordinated by the African Union Commission in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, International Labour Organization and German development agency GIZ, was formally unveiled at a high-level event in Addis Ababa on April 30.
The launch attracted senior representatives from AU member states, regional economic communities, development partners and social stakeholders, underscoring growing continental backing for structured labour migration reforms.
Speaking at the event, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Amma Twum-Amoah, highlighted the increasing role of migration in Africa’s economic trajectory.
According to her, the number of international migrants across Africa rose from 17.6 million in 2010 to 26 million in 2022, while remittance inflows reached $97.5 billion within the same period, reflecting the sector’s expanding economic relevance.
Also speaking, Switzerland’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and South Sudan, Riccarda Chanda, said the programme is anchored on strengthening protection for migrant workers through rights-based and evidence-driven frameworks.
“The JLMP responds to a clear demand: the need to strengthen protection for migrant workers through rights-centered, evidence-based and gender-responsive labour migration frameworks,” she stated.
On his part, Chairman of the AU Permanent Representatives Committee Sub-Committee on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, stressed the institutional significance of the initiative.
He noted that the JLMP PROPEL (Promoting Opportunities, Protection, Employment and Labour Integration) component is designed to strengthen institutions, improve policy coordination, enhance labour migration data systems and boost mechanisms for protecting migrant workers and their families.
The JLMP PROPEL initiative is being supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, with GIZ serving as fund manager.
Findings indicate that earlier phases of the programme delivered outcomes including strengthened governance frameworks, improved labour migration data systems, enhanced skills recognition processes, and better coordination for safe and orderly migration across participating countries and regional blocs.
Reaffirming Sweden’s support, Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission at the Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa, Hedvig Lohm, said the initiative aligns with Sweden’s position that sustainable reforms require inclusive dialogue, shared responsibility and strong institutional ownership.
Analysts say the latest phase signals a renewed continental push towards structured labour migration, as African economies increasingly leverage mobility as a driver of growth, skills development and regional integration.
