Experts Convene in Accra to Harmonize Africa’s Labour Migration Law

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), with technical support from the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), on Wednesday launched a three-day Technical Experts’ Meeting in Accra, Ghana, to review and validate the latest draft of the ambitious Pan-African Model Law on Labour Migration in Africa. Bringing together a carefully selected group of about 25 experts and advisors from PAP, the AUC, ILO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and civil society, the meeting set out to shape a continental vision for labour migration governance.

The Pan-African Parliament: Architect of Continental Coherence

At the heart of this gathering was the Pan‑African Parliament, the AU’s legislative arm and the driving force behind the Model Law on Labour Migration in Africa. Since the early phases of this project, PAP has shouldered the task of turning the long-standing continental frameworks like Agenda 2063, the AU’s Social Policy Framework, and the Migration Policy Framework for Africa, into a coherent legislative tool for Member States to adapt.

Guided by its Committee on Trade, Customs, and Immigration Matters, PAP convened the Continental Consultation in Nairobi in June 2025, gathering lawmakers, experts, and technical partners to enrich the draft Model Law through structured, inclusive dialogue. That meeting laid a foundation, but in Accra, PAP’s role is more than stewarding: it is about enshrining legitimacy by integrating diverse perspectives into a unified and actionable draft.

African Union Commission: Ensuring Continental Policy Alignment

The AUC has been steering the process behind the scenes, lending technical guidance to ensure the draft aligns with established AU normative frameworks and continental integration goals. Its influence helps anchor the law within long-term strategies that transcend national borders, reinforcing the draft’s pan-African legitimacy.

ILO and IOM: Championing Rights-Based Migration Norms

From the outset, the International Labour Organization brought vital knowledge of labour standards, conventions, and the global norms essential for safeguarding migrant workers’ rights. Its technical support has informed how the draft addresses recruitment, working conditions, protections, and social justice concerns.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration stressed the urgency of making the Model Law “Afrocentric and inclusive,” spotlighting Africa’s youthful population and the need for a forward-looking framework that harnesses labour mobility for sustainable economic benefits.

Regional Economic Communities: Embedding Regional Realities

Equally vital were the contributions from the RECs, including ECOWAS, EAC, IGAD, COMESA, and SADC. Their technical delegates helped bridge continental principles with on-the-ground legislative contexts, ensuring the Model Law remains adaptable and relevant across diverse legal traditions and integration schemes.

Civil Society, Academia, and Social Partners: Enriching the Grassroots Perspective

Legal drafters, ministry officials, employers and workers' representatives, gender and digital rights experts, and academics brought a critical blend of policy direction and lived experience. Their voices representing the heart of migration’s social and human dimensions, played a vital role in validating the law’s inclusivity, practical applicability, and rights-based foundations.

A Continuing Narrative: From Accra Toward Continental Impact

As deliberations unfolded through 5 September, the experts in Accra aimed to achieve a delicate balance: preserving the draft’s structure while enriching it with stakeholder insights, political pragmatism, and regional nuance. Their discussions would shape the document before it returns to PAP Plenary, then onwards to the AU Executive Council and, ultimately, to national legislatures for domestication and implementation.

This collective journey from Nairobi’s consultation to Accra’s expert validation, exemplifies a robust, layered process rooted in ownership, technical precision, and shared continental ambition.

Why This Matters

In Accra’s conference halls, the institutions and regional bodies came together not merely to refine a draft but to build a chorus of African voices around a shared legal instrument. Through PAP’s leadership, the AUC’s guidance, the technical expertise of ILO and IOM, the regional stewardship of RECs, and grassroots perspectives from civil society, this Model Law stands poised to become more than legislation: it is shaping into a beacon of continental unity, one that could transform how labour migration is governed, rights are protected, and economies are enriched across Africa.