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Government of Uganda Develops Roadmap to Advance Ratification of the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons
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Entebbe, Uganda – The Government of Uganda has taken a significant step towards ratifying the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons after developing a draft Cabinet Memorandum and a national roadmap to guide the Protocol’s ratification, domestication and implementation.
The three-day national consultation, held from 21–23 July 2026, was convened by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uganda. It brought together representatives from key Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for migration governance, labour mobility, border management, legal affairs, regional integration and national policy coordination.
The meeting reviewed the legal, policy and institutional implications of the Protocol and produced a roadmap outlining priority actions, institutional responsibilities and coordination mechanisms to accelerate Uganda’s ratification process and subsequent implementation.
Opening the meeting on behalf of the IGAD Executive Secretary, the IGAD Head of Mission to Uganda, Ms. Joselyn Bigirwa, commended the Government of Uganda for its continued commitment to regional integration and called for sustained inter-agency collaboration to fast-track ratification of the Protocol.
“We encourage the Government of Uganda to expedite the ratification process and pave the way for implementing the Protocol’s key pillars, including the rights of entry, stay, residence and establishment, as well as labour mobility. These are fundamental to promoting regional integration, peace and shared prosperity across the IGAD region,” she said.
Ms. Bigirwa also acknowledged the European Union and the International Labour Organization (ILO) for their continued support in strengthening migration governance and regional integration across the IGAD region.
Representing the ILO, the Chief Technical Advisor for the Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance Programme, Mr. Ephrem Getnet, described the Protocol as a milestone for regional integration, noting that it would facilitate safe and orderly cross-border mobility while unlocking opportunities for trade, investment, employment, skills development and cultural exchange.
“The Protocol lays the foundation for a more integrated and competitive regional labour market, supporting Uganda’s aspirations for inclusive economic growth, decent work and sustainable development,” Mr. Getnet said.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Solomon Kasasira, First Secretary and IGAD National Focal Point, said the consultation had strengthened multi-sectoral collaboration towards ratification of the Protocol while advancing Uganda’s commitments under Agenda 2063, Uganda Vision 2040 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The meeting was officially opened by Colonel Geoffrey Kambere, Acting Commissioner for Citizenship and Immigration Control, representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He noted that Uganda’s signing of the IGAD Protocol on 14 May 2024 reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional cooperation through policies that promote lawful mobility, trade facilitation, secure border management and peaceful coexistence.
“Free movement does not mean the absence of regulation. It requires stronger systems that facilitate secure, orderly and well-managed cross-border mobility while safeguarding national security. Ratification is now the critical next step towards integrating the Protocol into Uganda’s legal and institutional frameworks,” Colonel Kambere said.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of a national roadmap to be implemented between August 2026 and March 2027. Led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with relevant MDAs, the roadmap prioritises updating the Migration Regulatory Impact Assessment, finalising the Cabinet Memorandum and advancing the necessary processes towards Cabinet approval and formal ratification of the Protocol.
The consultation brought together experts from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Citizenship and Immigration Control, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uganda Police Force, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Ministry responsible for East African Community Affairs, Office of the President (Cabinet Secretariat), Office of the Prime Minister, External Security Organisation, Internal Security Organisation, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda People’s Defence Forces, alongside migration experts from IGAD and the ILO.
The consultation forms part of the Support to the Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD Region – Phase II project, jointly implemented by IGAD and the ILO with funding from the European Union under the NDICI framework. The initiative supports IGAD Member States in ratifying and implementing the Protocols on Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance while strengthening migration governance, labour mobility, employment, social protection and pastoral development across the region.
