African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and International Organization for Migration Director General Amy Pope met on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly to reinforce institutional cooperation on safe, structured, and rights-based human mobility.
The bilateral talks centered on modernizing migration governance frameworks, expanding legal mobility pathways, and protecting the rights of migrant workers across origin, transit, and destination countries.
A central focus of the discussions was aligning migration policies with continental economic initiatives, particularly the African Continental Free Trade Area. AU Chairperson Youssouf emphasized that facilitating cross-border labor mobility and retaining critical technical expertise within Africa are essential to strengthening regional value chains and addressing skilled labor shortages. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to leveraging African diaspora contributions through skills transfer and targeted investment, positioning regulated human mobility as a vital component of sustainable economic integration.
TE/Sf/lb/abj/APA