The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), in collaboration with the Federation of Eastern Africa Journalists (FEAJ), successfully concluded the Eastern Africa Regional Meeting on Media Capacity Building on Informed Migration Narratives and Local Opportunities, held in Mombasa, Kenya, from 18 to 20 June 2026.
The regional forum, supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) through the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme and funded by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), brought together journalists union leaders and media professionals from Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda to strengthen professional journalism on migration and labour mobility and deepen cooperation among journalists and journalists’ organisations across Eastern Africa.
Hosted by the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), the meeting formed part of FAJ’s ongoing efforts to operationalise the commitments of the Dakar Communiqué on Labour Migration Reporting and the African Narrative, developed by FAJ and its affiliates with the support of the African Union, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2024, and to advance the outcomes of the Kigali Action Plan on Communicating Labour Migration and Mobility in Africa, adopted following the FAJ-ILO capacity-building workshop held in Kigali, Rwanda, in January 2025.
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Eastern Africa remains one of Africa’s most significant migration corridors, with countries serving simultaneously as places of origin, transit and destination for migrants, including migrant workers. Migration continues to shape labour markets, socio-economic development, regional integration and the lives of millions of working families across the continent, making it one of the most important public interest issues facing Africa today.
The Chief Technical Advisor of ILO’s Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM), Aida Awel, said that the regional media training marks an important step in strengthening informed, balanced and evidence – based reporting on labour migration and employment issues across Eastern Africa. “ By equipping journalists with the knowledge and tools to report accurately and responsibly, we are contributing to greater public awareness, accountability and regional cooperation on issues that affect millions.”
FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman said the forum reflected FAJ’s commitment to strengthening public interest journalism and promoting informed, evidence-based reporting on migration and labour mobility across Africa.
“Migration is one of the most significant public interest issues facing Africa today. Journalists have a responsibility to report it accurately and responsibly by exposing the risks of irregular migration, horrendous abuses and exploitations while highlighting opportunities available within our countries and across the region. In an age of rampant misinformation and disinformation, public interest journalism, where information integrity is consciously preserved, is essential to ensuring that migration narratives are guided by facts rather than false promises and unrealistic expectations,” said Omar.
Throughout the three-day meeting, participants examined migration dynamics, labour mobility trends and the socio-economic realities influencing migration across Eastern Africa. Discussions explored how journalists can contribute to greater public understanding of migration and support evidence-based debate on issues affecting migrants, migrant workers and host communities.
A key milestone of the forum was the regional launch of the ILO Toolkit on Migration Reporting, which provides practical guidance for journalists covering migration and labour mobility issues. Participants discussed how the toolkit can strengthen professional reporting practices and support more ethical, accurate and context-sensitive journalism across the region.
The regional gathering examined the risks associated with irregular migration, forced labour and human trafficking, while emphasising the importance of ethical reporting that protects vulnerable communities and avoids sensationalism. Participants also explored the growing impact of misinformation and disinformation on migration narratives and strengthened their skills in fact-checking, verification and information integrity to ensure migration reporting remains accurate, credible and evidence-based.
Participants further discussed the need for greater media attention to fair recruitment, employment opportunities, entrepreneurship, vocational training, skills development and legal labour mobility pathways within Eastern Africa. They stressed that balanced journalism should highlight both the challenges and opportunities associated with migration, helping communities make informed decisions while countering misleading narratives that portray migration abroad as the only route to economic advancement.
Leaders of journalists’ organisations also held strategic discussions on media freedom, journalists’ safety, advocacy priorities and regional solidarity. The meeting strengthened regional cooperation through discussions on cross-border reporting initiatives on organising, professional exchanges and coordinated advocacy efforts aimed at advancing journalism, defending media freedom and promoting freedom of expression across Eastern Africa.
The forum concluded with the adoption of the Mombasa Statement on Responsible Migration Reporting, reaffirming the commitment of journalists and journalists’ organisations to ethical, balanced and evidence-based reporting on migration and labour mobility. The statement further commits participants to strengthening information integrity, promoting public interest journalism, strengthening editorial independence and advancing regional cooperation and solidarity among media professionals.
The regional meeting reaffirmed the commitment of journalists and journalists’ organisations in Eastern Africa to ensuring that migration reporting serves the public interest, promotes informed public discourse and contributes to a more balanced understanding of migration, labour mobility and opportunities across the African continent.
