Kenya Airways and IOM join forces against human trafficking

In a landmark new initiative, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Kenya and the national airline, Kenya Airways (KQ), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announcing a strategic partnership to combat human trafficking and promote regular migration pathways.

“This partnership demonstrates the commitment of both organizations to protect travelers and migrants and reduce their potential exposure to exploitation by traffickers,” said Ms. Dimanche Sharon, IOM Kenya Chief of Mission. “By joining forces with Kenya Airways, we are strengthening IOM’s reach and impact, ensuring that migration is safe and works for all.”

IOM and HQ will implement measures that will help identify and reduce human trafficking, facilitate regular pathways for migration, and promote the protection of migrants and people on the move. Improving regular pathways is one of IOM’s strategic priorities, which aims to adopt a whole-of-society approach to migration, including partnership and engagement with the private sector.

“The collaboration with IOM Kenya demonstrates our commitment to corporate social responsibility and the well-being of all travellers,” said Mr. Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways. “We are committed to providing our staff with the necessary training and resources to assist migrants, especially those in vulnerable situations.”

Under the MoU, Kenya Airways staff will receive specialized training from IOM to help them identify, respond and improve coordination to assist travelers and migrants. Joint efforts between IOM and Kenya Airways will also be made to advocate for policies that create a safer and more regular travel environment for migrants. An information sharing framework between the airline and IOM to assist travelers is planned.

Signed today, the collaboration agreement brings together IOM Kenya experts in the areas of migrant protection and labour mobility, and Kenya Airways, which transports more than 5 million passengers across Africa and around the world each year, to more than 45 destinations.