NAIROBI, Sept.23 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations migration agency plans to assist African countries to develop policies that will promote safe migration, an official said on Monday.

Alice Kimani, regional policy liaison officer at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) told at a regional migration forum in Nairobi that a number of countries including Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, have requested for assistance.

"We will provide technical expertise to ensure African countries develop comprehensive policies that ensure migrants travel in a safe and regular manner so that are able to contribute to socio-economic development of the continent," Kimani said.

The UN agency is also assisting African countries sign bilateral labor agreements between the source and destination countries for labor in order to safeguard migrant rights.

Kimani added that countries in the continent have experienced an out flow of migrants seeking greener pastures abroad.

"People have a right to look for better opportunities and seek asylum but if they don't have regular path ways they could fall into hands of smugglers." she added.