ADDIS ABABA-The Ethiopian Statistical Service (ESS) and 11 key government institutions yesterday signed an agreement to enhance migration data management through data sharing and harmonization.
The agreement, signed by representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund, Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs, Ethiopian Federal Police, ESS, Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Revenue and Customs Authority, Ethiopian Development Research Institute, Immigration and Citizenship Service, and National Identification Program, aims to address the challenges of fragmented and disorganized migration data within government institutions.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ESS Director General Dr. Beker Shale emphasized the critical role of accurate and comprehensive migration data in understanding current migration trends and leveraging their socioeconomic benefits. He acknowledged the challenges posed by fragmented and disorganized data within government institutions, hindering effective statistical development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ESS Director General Beker Shale (PhD) highlighted the critical role of accurate and comprehensive migration data in understanding current trends and leveraging their socioeconomic benefits.He emphasized the need to overcome data gaps and improve data harmonization for effective policymaking.
Shale acknowledged the valuable contributions of various experts and officials in developing the agreement, which incorporates successful international experiences. He expressed gratitude for the support of the Ministry of Justice and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and urged continued international support for the ESS in strengthening its national migration data framework.
Justice State Minister Belayhun Yirga underscored the significant impact of the dynamic and complex nature of migration trends on the national economy. He emphasized the need for enabling legislation and robust institutional frameworks to establish a comprehensive migration management system that improves governance, upholds migrants’ human rights, and strengthens coordination and data management.
“Collecting high-quality, accessible, reliable, and timely data is crucial for evidence-based decision-making and research, Shale emphasized. “Currently, most administrative data within government institutions is not effectively organized or collected, leading to significant data gaps and hindering data harmonization efforts.”
Abibatou Wane-Fall, IOM Chief of Mission to Ethiopia, highlighted that this event signifies a strong collaborative relationship between the International Organization for Migration and Ethiopian government institutions. “This signing ceremony marks the beginning of new and promising collaborative efforts on migration data sharing,” she stated.
Wane-Fall emphasized that inter-ministerial coordination on migration data will significantly strengthen data analysis and inform evidence-based policy decisions. She further stressed that accurate and timely migration and displacement data are essential for saving lives, facilitating regular migration pathways, and enabling proactive and anticipatory actions.
BY ASHENAFI ANIMUT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 16 JANUARY 2025
