The Guidelines on Migration and Displacement Statistics, developed by the African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC ), represent a landmark continental framework for harmonising migration and displacement data across African Union Member States and Regional Economic Communities. Published in 2025, these guidelines support the Strategy for the Harmonisation of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA 2) and align with Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees.
The EGRISS International Recommendations serve as a cornerstone, as the guidelines adopt the refugee statistical framework, the internal displacement statistical framework, and the statelessness statistical framework directly from IRRS, IRIS, and IROSS. The document recommends that African countries produce indicators “in line with the IRRS and IRIS,” including stock and flow statistics for refugees and IDPs, durable solutions measures, and displacement-related vulnerability assessments. Furthermore, the guidelines reference the EGRISS Compilers’ Manual extensively for practical implementation, directing national statistical offices to use it for survey design, questionnaire development, and identifying forcibly displaced populations in censuses and household surveys.
EGRISS representatives — Natalia Krynsky Baal and Filip Mitrovic — provided direct technical input during the guidelines’ development. STATAFRIC’s membership on the EGRISS Steering Committee reflects the ongoing institutional partnership between continental and global efforts to improve forced displacement statistics.
