Kenya Strengthens Migration Framework Through UN Partnership Workshop
Nairobi, 11 February 2026
Kenya held a three-day national workshop to assess progress on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, preparing its 2025 report for the International Migration Review Forum. The initiative comes as humanitarian aid cuts have devastated refugee populations, with documented starvation deaths in Kenyan camps following massive reductions in US assistance.
Workshop Framework and Leadership
The workshop, held in Nairobi on 10 February 2026, brought together Kenyan government officials, United Nations agencies, and key stakeholders to collaboratively prepare Kenya’s 2025 progress report for presentation at the 2026 International Migration Review Forum in New York [1]. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) opened the multi-stakeholder technical dialogue, with Mr. Gideon Rutaremwa commending Kenya’s leadership approach [1]. “Kenya has demonstrated notable leadership in translating the Global Compact for Migration into tangible national action,” said Rutaremwa, emphasising that the dialogue is critical for ensuring migration remains “safe, orderly, regular, and human-centered” [1].
National Coordination Mechanism
Mr. Dan Opon, the Director of Immigration at the State Department for Immigration and Citizenship Services and Head of the Kenya National Coordination Mechanism on Migration, emphasised the framework’s voluntary nature during his opening remarks [1]. “Our reporting is not about compliance, but about transparency, learning, and improving our national migration policy,” Opon stated, adding that “Migration is a reality we are managing in a coordinated manner” [1]. The mechanism operates under principles of collective commitment, shared responsibility, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, guided by the National Action Plan for GCM Implementation (2023-2027) launched in October 2023 [1].
Progress Areas and Implementation Challenges
Key areas of progress discussed included the establishment of a technical committee and data strategy at the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, with plans for a centralised data portal [1]. The workshop highlighted operational national labour migration policy, active bilateral labour agreements with several countries, and outreach programmes in 15 counties providing migrant resource centres and toll-free helplines [1]. However, significant implementation challenges emerged, including funding constraints, gaps in disaggregated data particularly regarding missing migrants, the need for stronger county-level implementation, and the integration of diaspora and refugee data systems [1]. Participants from various ministries, UN agencies including ECA, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Nairobi City County engaged in discussions that highlighted the need for county empowerment, better data on migrants’ motivations, and strengthened partnerships to overcome resource limitations [1].
Humanitarian Crisis Context
The workshop takes place against a backdrop of severe humanitarian challenges affecting Kenya’s refugee populations. U.S. spending on humanitarian relief dropped from over $14 billion in 2024 to $3.7 billion in 2025 after Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled more than 80 percent of U.S. relief and development programmes [3]. These cuts have had devastating consequences, with humanitarian aid reaching 25 million fewer people in 2025 than in 2024, and over 2,000 health clinics closing in crisis zones globally [3]. Ration cuts for refugees in Kenya have prompted mass protests and have been directly linked to starvation deaths, with violent protests occurring at Kenyan refugee camps in July 2025 over aid cuts [3]. The workshop’s focus on strengthening Kenya’s capacity to manage migration flows and protect migrants’ rights comes as the country grapples with these unprecedented challenges in refugee support systems.