African Leaders Call for Portable Social Security Benefits Across Borders

The second review of the Global Compact for Migration, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, highlighted the need for African countries to reform their social security systems to allow for the portability of benefits across borders.

This initiative aims to foster deeper regional integration and unlock the full potential of Africa’s workforce. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), emphasized two key priorities: the mutual recognition of skills and qualifications across African borders, and the reform of social security systems to ensure that migrants do not lose access to benefits such as pensions and healthcare when crossing borders.

The meeting, attended by over 250 country delegates, researchers, and stakeholders, focused on leveraging migration as a driver of growth. Key areas of intervention included protecting migrants’ lives, establishing legal migration pathways, managing climate migration, and improving data collection for effective migration management.

Amy Pope, Director General of the IOM – UN Migration, stressed the importance of integrating migration into national strategies and urban planning to catalyze development. The African Union Commission is providing legal instruments to help member states address migration challenges, with Commissioner Minata Samate Cessouma calling for the ratification of the African Protocol for the Free Movement of Persons and Goods.

Similarly, the East African Community (EAC) is developing regulations to coordinate social security rights and benefits across partner states. These efforts aim to address the continent’s youth unemployment challenge and capitalize on Africa’s demographic advantage, with African youth projected to make up 42% of the global youth population by 2030.