On 8 September 2021, IOM Copenhagen and the World Food Programme Nordic office co-hosted the high-level debate “Hunger, Migration and Displacement” at UN City Copenhagen. 

The high-level debate explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hunger, migration and displacement in East and Horn of Africa, building on the IOM-WPF study Life amidst a pandemic: Hunger, migration and displacement in the East and Horn of Africa. 

In the panel debate, IOM was represented by Mr. Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa. 

Other panelists were:

• Mr. Stephen Schönemann, Under-Secretary for Development Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
• Ms. Charlotte Slente, Secretary General, Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
• Mr. Henrik Nordentoft, Regional Representative for Northern Europe, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Mr. Michael Dunford, Regional Director for Eastern Africa, World Food Programme (WFP)

Despite the reigning COVID-19 pandemic, the event was well attended by approximately 75 representatives from governments and embassies, UN organizations, academia and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who contributed actively to an interesting debate on the challenges faced by migrants and forcibly displaced populations in East Africa during 2020.

The panelists throughout the debate stressed the importance of continued support to concerned populations and the central role of cooperation between agencies operating in the region.