Kampala, Mar 16 – Uganda has completed high-level consultations with regional partners to develop a formal roadmap for ratifying and domesticating the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Protocol (IGAD) on Free Movement of Persons, advancing efforts to align national legislation with regional integration commitments.
The discussions, held in Kampala under an EU-supported regional programme implemented by IGAD with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization, brought together government institutions and social partners to review the legal, policy and administrative requirements for implementation. Experts finalised recommendations outlining the procedural steps needed for ratification and incorporation of the Protocol into domestic law.
The meeting also proposed that Uganda proceed with signing and ratifying two related regional instruments: the IGAD Convention on Extradition (2012) and the IGAD Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance (2012). Officials said the agreements would strengthen cross-border judicial cooperation and support broader governance objectives linked to mobility.
Uganda signed the Protocol on May 14, 2024, in Kampala, following years of consultations that began in 2017. Regional officials welcomed the government’s engagement and described the outcome of the mission as a concrete step towards formal ratification.
At a debrief session, Lucy Daxbacher, Senior Migration Expert and Coordinator of the action supporting the Protocol, said free movement does not imply the absence of migration controls, but rather requires stronger legal frameworks, functional institutions and adequate financing to manage mobility effectively. She added that successful implementation depends on reliable national identification systems and structured citizen data management.
If adopted, the Protocol would support deeper regional integration in line with the objectives of the IGAD Agreement, including facilitating trade and investment, labour mobility, access to education and healthcare, infrastructure development, and cooperation in disaster management and displacement response.
The framework is also referenced in Uganda’s National Migration Policy 2025, launched in Kampala, and aligns with continental initiatives under the African Union, including the AU’s free movement agenda, as well as broader global development commitments.
The consultations were attended by senior officials from key ministries and agencies, including foreign affairs, justice, internal affairs, labour, education, and representatives of employers and trade unions.
The expert group is expected to reconvene in April 2026 in Kampala to review progress on the ratification process and next implementation steps.
