The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, has praised Rwanda’s approach to welcoming and supporting migrants, saying the country offers lessons for others seeking to manage migration while turning it into an opportunity for development.
Pope made the remarks during her working visit to Rwanda on August 21, 2026, where she highlighted Rwanda’s efforts to help migrants access employment, housing and legal documentation. IOM said Rwanda is demonstrating how well-managed migration can create jobs, strengthen skills and support regional growth.
Pope said sustainable migration management should go beyond providing immediate assistance and focus on helping migrants become self-reliant and participate fully in the communities where they live.
“The best way to address this issue is to help people get jobs and housing so that they can become part of the broader community in the country where they have migrated, and ensure they have identification documents,” she said.
Speaking in an interview with Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, Pope described Rwanda’s approach as a model that other countries could consider as they seek practical responses to migration challenges.
She also pointed to demographic changes that are reshaping labour markets, particularly in regions where ageing populations are contributing to shortages of workers.
According to Pope, parts of North America, Europe, the Gulf and Asia are increasingly struggling to find enough young people to fill available jobs.
“In North America, Europe, the Gulf countries and parts of Asia, there are not enough young people to do some of the jobs that are available,” she said.
Pope said the trend could create opportunities for African countries, which have large and growing youth populations. She argued that, with the right skills and opportunities, African workers could help meet labour demand in countries facing workforce shortages.
“This is good news for many African countries because the continent has a large youth population, and many of them appear not to have the same opportunities available in those countries,” she said.
IOM’s assessment of Rwanda’s approach comes as migration increasingly features in discussions about employment, skills development and demographic change. The agency says well-managed migration can contribute to economic growth when migrants are able to access safe and legal pathways, employment and opportunities to develop their skills.
Pope’s visit therefore places Rwanda’s migration policies within a broader global debate over how countries can protect migrants while also responding to changing labour-market needs.
