AfDB and IOM Strengthen Partnership on Mobility and Development

Participants emphasized that migration and mobility are increasingly central to economic growth, regional integration and sustainable development.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have moved to deepen their collaboration in Southern Africa following a high-level workshop focused on migration, resilience and sustainable development.

Held in Pretoria in May 2026, the AfDB–IOM Southern Africa Deep Dive brought together senior leaders and technical experts from both organizations to identify shared priorities and develop a roadmap for future cooperation. The workshop builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two institutions in October 2025 and follows a series of senior-level discussions held earlier this year. It marks an important step toward integrating migration and mobility considerations into development planning and regional investment strategies across Southern Africa.

Mobility and Development Closely Connected

Participants emphasized that migration and mobility are increasingly central to economic growth, regional integration and sustainable development. African Development Bank Director General for Southern Africa Kennedy Mbekeani said the movement of people plays a vital role in supporting trade, investment, tourism and other economic activities across borders.

He noted that stronger regional integration depends not only on infrastructure and policy coordination but also on enabling the safe and efficient movement of people. The partnership, he said, brings together the Bank's financing capabilities and policy influence with IOM's operational expertise and migration knowledge.

IOM Sub-Regional Director for Southern Africa Yitna Getachew, highlighted the scale of migration's contribution to development. He pointed out that around 60 per cent of international migrants worldwide are workers whose contributions support economies and communities across the globe. At the same time, displacement continues to affect millions of people throughout Africa, making coordinated responses increasingly important.

Focus on Three Key Priorities

The workshop identified three major areas for future collaboration. The first involves integrating technology-enabled mobility systems into transport corridor projects and regional value chain investments supported by the African Development Bank. The second priority focuses on strengthening responses to fragility, climate-related displacement and resilience challenges affecting communities across Southern Africa.

The third area centres on labour mobility and human capital development, with the goal of helping countries maximize the economic and social benefits of migration while supporting skills development and employment opportunities. Participants also discussed the importance of adopting people-centred approaches that consider migration patterns across entire travel and trade corridors, from countries of origin through transit routes to destination areas.

Building Long-Term Cooperation

Discussions explored opportunities to engage diaspora communities more effectively and identify innovative financing mechanisms that can support development outcomes linked to migration and mobility. The workshop was moderated by AfDB Lead Economist for Southern Africa Edward Sennoga and served as the first stage of a broader engagement process between the two organizations.

Officials described the Deep Dive as the beginning of a structured collaboration designed to move from strategic discussions toward practical implementation. Future work will focus on translating shared priorities into concrete programmes and integrating migration considerations into long-term development planning.

As mobility continues to shape economic and social realities across Southern Africa, both institutions believe stronger cooperation can help countries better manage migration while supporting resilience, regional integration and sustainable growth.