AfDB and IOM sign MoU to harness migration for peace, development
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) - The sixth Africa Resilience Forum concluded in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), cementing a partnership that will work to harness migration to drive peace and development across the continent.
The MOU formalises collaboration in three strategic areas: migration governance for inclusive development, prosperity and peace; African diaspora engagement for development; and responses to internal displacement, a press statement by AfDB said.
"When managed well, migration is not a problem to be contained, but a very powerful driver of inclusive development and resilience," said Nnenna Nwabufo, Bank Group Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, at the signing.
She stressed the partnership’s alignment with President Sidi Ould Tah's vision for addressing fragility and building resilience across Africa.
Mohammed Abdiker, IOM’s Chief of Staff, said: "This partnership brings together the Bank's financial and technical leadership with IOM's expertise and field presence to create solutions that place women, youth, and vulnerable groups at the center of Africa's transformation."
The Africa Resilience Forum's programme featured sessions exploring food security, youth entrepreneurship, climate-peace linkages, private sector investment in fragile contexts, and the role of artificial intelligence in peacebuilding, followed by partnership sessions to advance joint actions across shared priorities.
Held every two years, the 2025 edition's theme—Prioritising Prevention: Financing Peace in a Changing Development Cooperation Landscape—brought together strategic partners including from the United Nations such as UNHCR, UNDP, WFP and IOM as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross, Interpeace, the OECD, civil society, the private sector and others, reaffirming the event’s role in coordinating action on preventing and addressing fragility.
Vice President Nwabufo outlined key takeaways from the discussions, emphasising the shift from reactive crisis management to anticipatory prevention. "We must move from managing crises to anticipating and mitigating risks before they escalate," she said.
"We have the tools, the partnerships, and the vision," Nwabufo added. "What is needed now is collective resolve to deliver impact where it is needed most. We are not merely reacting to conflict—we are investing in peace."
In his closing remarks, the Bank’s Director of the Transition States Coordination Office Yero Baldeh expressed gratitude for the level of engagement throughout the forum. "This forum has reaffirmed our shared commitment to resilience and reminded us that prevention is possible, peace is investable, and Africa is ready," he said.
IOM said the strategic framework recognises that well-managed migration and the inclusion of forcibly displaced persons, returnees, and their host communities, along with diaspora engagement beyond remittances, are not only a humanitarian priority but also a catalyst for long-term development.
The partnership is set to serve as a blueprint for evidence-based, people-centred migration policies that strengthen resilience and accelerate sustainable development across Africa.
Since 2018, more than US$ 105 million has been invested in joint initiatives under the partnership. The new MoU reinforces this collaboration and seeks to maximise the positive impact of migration, particularly for women, youth, and marginalized groups. It also supports ongoing efforts by regional economic communities and the United Nations to advance the Global Compact for Migration.
-0- PANA MA 5Oct2025
