IOM Deputy Director General for Operations Ms Ugochi Daniels
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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has commended the robust partnership between Kenya and the organization, which focuses on promoting humane and orderly migration.
This recognition emerged during a discussion between IOM Deputy Director General for Operations Ms Ugochi Daniels and Kenya's Ambassador Hellen Gichuhi, Secretary-Welfare and Partnerships, at the International Conference on Future Agenda of Action for Global Diaspora Engagement in Cabo Verde. Ambassador Gichuhi emphasizes the State Department's dedication to its diaspora citizens, advocating for a stronger collaboration with IOM in the repatriation and evacuation of distressed Kenyans abroad. She underscores the significance of working with IOM to map Kenyans employed in various countries worldwide, a crucial step in understanding the diaspora's distribution and effectively addressing their needs.
A key topic of discussion was the portability of social benefits for the diaspora, a global concern addressed in Article 22 of the Global Compact for Migration. Ambassador Gichuhi explains that once negotiated, such agreements would enable diaspora members to access and utilize their benefits regardless of their location, aligning with the broader goal of maintaining migrants' social security rights across borders. Furthermore, Ambassador Gichuhi advocates for reducing remittance costs to 3% or less, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10, which aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. This reduction is vital for maximizing the financial support diaspora members send back home, significantly contributing to Kenya's economy.
The mental health and well-being of the diaspora were also identified as critical areas requiring attention, recognizing the unique challenges faced by migrants. Ms Daniels praises Kenya for establishing the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and acknowledges some of its achievements. She expresses IOM's interest in collaborating with Kenya to assess policies and evaluate gaps, identifying areas for further partnership. This collaboration aims to enhance support for Kenyan migrants and ensure the protection of their rights and well-being. The IOM, founded in 1951, is a United Nations-related organization that implements operational assistance programs for migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers.
In Kenya, IOM has been instrumental in various initiatives, such as labour mobility, migrant protection, immigration and border governance, recovery and resilience, migration health, and resettlement and movement management. Kenya became the first African Member State to join IOM in 1985, and the partnership has grown significantly since then. The IOM office in Kenya, established in 1993, has been pivotal in delivering on the promise of migration by working with the Government of Kenya, development partners, the private sector, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.