Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Government has called for the swift finalisation and implementation of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and a comprehensive regional framework for skills recognition within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This strategic move is aimed at allowing skilled and semi-skilled citizens to move freely across the region, maximising their contribution to member states’ economies, addressing critical labour market demands and curbing irregular migration.
The urgent call was made by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, during her address at the Ministerial Meeting of the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA), held recently here in Victoria Falls.
The high-level meeting, which brought together ministers responsible for home affairs, labour and immigration from across the SADC region, was held under the theme: Promoting Regional Integration through Sustaining Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration in the Southern African Region.
Dr Ndlovu said while labour migration has historically been the backbone of the regional economy, its full potential remains stifled by fragmented policies and a lack of skills portability.
“Labour migration has been the historical backbone of our regional economy, yet its potential remains constrained by fragmented policies and a lack of skills portability,” said Dr Ndlovu.
She emphasised the conclusions of the conference’s second roundtable, which tackled the crucial need for fair, ethical and effective labour migration governance.
“The priority now is the expeditious finalisation and implementation of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and a comprehensive Regional Framework for skills recognition
“This will allow our skilled and semi-skilled citizens to move freely and contribute maximally to all our economies, addressing labour market demands and reducing irregular migration,” she said.
Furthermore, Dr Ndlovu urged the entire SADC region to commit to streamlining the often cumbersome and lengthy processes for verifying professional and academic qualifications.
“Let us commit to streamlining qualification verification processes, making them faster, more transparent and ultimately, a reality for every SADC worker,” she said.
This push for a harmonised skills framework is seen as a critical step towards deeper regional integration.
It would enable, for instance, a qualified engineer from Zimbabwe, a nurse from Malawi or an IT technician from Zambia to have their credentials recognised seamlessly in another SADC country, thus filling skills gaps and promoting knowledge transfer.
The MIDSA meeting concluded with a renewed dedication from member states to translate political commitments into tangible action.
The finalisation of the skills recognition framework is positioned as a cornerstone for creating a SADC region where migration is not only safe and orderly but also a powerful engine for shared economic growth and development.
The success of this initiative hinges on the political will to break down bureaucratic barriers and foster a truly integrated regional labour market.
The post Expedite skills recognition framework, Government urges SADC appeared first on herald.
The post Expedite skills recognition framework, Government urges SADC appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.