Burundi: Supporting the Development of a National Labour Migration Policy and Negotiation of Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs)

In 2010, Burundi signed the Common Market Protocol, aimed at framing and regulating labour migration in the East African Community (EAC). The protocol calls for free movement of workers across the Member States for formal labour markets in approved categories of workers. However, Burundi has some restrictions in terms of categories. In 2015, there were 284,187 Burundian emigrants and their main destination countries were Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Canada, Malawi, South Africa, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. In the same year, there were 286,810 immigrants in Burundi originating from DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Belgium and France

This project aims at supporting the Labour Ministry in putting in place the necessary policy and legal framework to provide longer-term protection and good governance for migrant workers. To that end, the project will commence with a situation analysis followed by data collection from the major stakeholders (migrant workers’ associations, national institutions, trade unions, employers’ associations, etc.).

Furthermore, national authorities will receive technical assistance on labour migration policy development and in techniques on negotiating bilateral labour agreements. Combined, these actions will facilitate the development of a national labour migration policy that will help national authorities in general and the Ministry of Labour in particular to have a better understanding of the flows and dynamics of migrant workers (including female migrants). Furthermore, it is anticipated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will embark upon negotiations for bilateral agreements for Burundian male and female migrant workers with selected Gulf States during the course of this project.