Zanzibar, August 30, 2023

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Tanzania, UN Migration, and the President's Office - Labour Economic Affairs and Investment (POLEAI) of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, have officially entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster mutual cooperation and assistance across a spectrum of critical areas.

The MOU signing ceremony signifies a commitment to collaborate on labour migration, counter-trafficking in persons, technical assistance, poverty reduction, economic growth promotion, and human development support.

The Parties have identified the following key areas of cooperation:

a) The implementation of donor-funded activities, particularly within IOM's areas of competence, including labour migration, counter-trafficking, technical assistance, poverty reduction, economic growth promotion, and human development support.

b) Consultation between POLEAI and IOM on labour migration country strategies and assistance plans that align with IOM's expertise.

c) Collaborative research studies on subjects of mutual interest.

During the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister Hon. Anna Athanas Paul, representing the Minister of the President's Office - Labour Economic Affairs and Investment, emphasized the inevitability of labour migration in a growing economy like Zanzibar's. She underscored the importance of working closely with development partners to address the challenges and opportunities presented by labour migration.

Mr. Maurizio Busatti, IOM Chief of Mission, expressed gratitude to the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar for their coordination and partnership in implementing IOM programs in the region. He lauded the MOU's signing as a significant step toward strengthening the relationship for the effective protection of human rights and the well-being of migrants within labour migration programmes.

For media inquiries, please contact: Sarah Abdalla at sabdalla@iom.int or tel: +255 777 465 090