Staff Writer
Kadoma – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), today concludes a four-day capacity-development workshop aimed at strengthening policymakers’ ability to engage the Zimbabwean diaspora and negotiate robust Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements (BLMAs).
Held from 8 to 12 December 2025 in Kadoma, the workshop brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, as well as other key stakeholders involved in labour migration governance.
The initiative sought to maximize the contribution of Zimbabweans living abroad—who remitted more than US$2.6 billion in 2024—while addressing persistent challenges related to labour rights protection, skills recognition, and cross-border labour mobility.
Throughout the workshop, government officials, labour migration experts, and development partners worked collaboratively to strengthen institutional frameworks for diaspora engagement.
Participants were equipped with skills to draft and negotiate rights-based, legally binding BLMAs, address policy and implementation gaps identified in previous agreements, and develop a roadmap for integrating diaspora contributions into national development efforts.
The workshop aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and the objectives of the Draft Diaspora Policy (2025–2030), reinforcing the central role of diaspora engagement in national economic growth and effective labour governance.
The success of the initiative was underpinned by close collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe, whose partnership remains critical to building sustainable migration governance systems and safeguarding the rights of Zimbabwean migrant workers.
Speaking at the workshop’s official opening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Director of Bilateral Trade and Diaspora, Mrs S. Mateta, emphasized the importance of protecting Zimbabweans abroad.
“The overarching purpose of our gathering is to learn how we can better protect the interests, rights, and welfare of our nationals living and working outside the country,” she said.
“As our migrants undertake their various activities, it is imperative that their government remains actively engaged in protecting them in every way possible.”
She noted that Zimbabwe’s diaspora comprises skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled workers, underscoring the need for the government to enhance its capacity to negotiate strong, rights-based labour migration agreements that align with international standards.
In a speech read on her behalf by IOM Zimbabwe Senior Project Associate Tawanda Matanda, IOM Zimbabwe Chief of Mission Ms Diana Cartier reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting government-led migration initiatives.
“Our role, as IOM, is to support government leadership, facilitate peer learning, and help translate policy ambition into durable, implementable systems,” she said.
“Together, we can ensure that diaspora engagement and labour mobility are not reactive measures, but strategic pillars of Zimbabwe’s journey towards Vision 2030.”
About Author
