Agulhas worked closely with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) between 2018 and 2022 to review the interaction between climate change, labor markets and migration in the East and Horn of Africa. Through a series of research reports, empirical studies, and policy briefs, our work investigated how migration is both a result of, and an adaptive reaction to, climate change. This work has identified and explored potential mechanisms and strategies for using labor migration as a proactive and mitigating response to climate challenges and has informed the design and implementation of IGAD’s Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance, adopted by IGAD Member States in 2021.
The research project produced three reports: a Phase 1 literature review and analytical framework; a Phase 2 empirical study consisting of three case studies of migrant experiences along selected migration routes from climate hotspots to urban centres and national capitals in Djibouti, Ethiopia and Uganda; and a synthesis report bringing stakeholder engagements, evidence from the literature and the three case studies together. This policy brief summarises findings from the synthesis report and offers policy and operational recommendations for ILO, IGAD, its Member States and international partners.
