The African Development Bank and the International Organization for Migration have collaborated to improve Africa’s migration strategies. They aim to ensure a safer, more dignified movement, empowering individuals to contribute to their development and their nations’ progress.
African Development Bank Group’s Senior Vice President, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, recently met with International Organization for Migration Director-General, Amy Pope, at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan. The discussion focused on strengthening collaboration on migration and development across Africa.
The meeting also explored the potential for a formal partnership, building on past successes like the joint production of the 2023 report on migration and development in Africa.
Marie-Laure praised its collaboration with the United Nations agency stating, “We already have a rich and productive relationship with IOM.” She further emphasized the goal of a potential formal agreement, saying, “As we discuss a potential formal agreement, we aim to be more targeted and concrete in our approach, fully using our combined strengths to show that well-managed migration can benefit everyone involved.”
Amy Pope emphasized the importance of a closer partnership with the African Development Bank, stating, “Our goal in working more closely with the African Development Bank is to move beyond just responding to migration. We want to work together to ensure people can move safely and with dignity, allowing them to be part of their development solution and their country’s progress.”
Regional Director Lopez-Ekra highlighted the urgency of collaboration, noting that climate change and a rapidly growing youth population significantly shape migration trends in Africa. “Migration along the Atlantic route, for instance, has increased by 150 percent over the past few years,” Lopez-Ekra said. He added that combining IOM’s expertise in migration with the Bank’s capacity to mobilize resources could better address these interconnected challenges.
Akin-Olugbade highlighted the value of IOM’s insights, stating, “We finance many projects in infrastructure and regional integration. IOM’s perspective helps us create projects that achieve even more.” He also mentioned that the discussions highlighted the importance of considering climate change as a major driver of migration when planning projects.
Senior Vice President Akin-Olugbade and Director-General Pope agreed that closer collaboration should focus on exchanging knowledge and data, carrying out joint policy research, and developing projects that tackle the underlying causes of migration, especially climate change and insufficient job creation.
