Bangkok, Thailand, 4-5 June 2009

Hosted by the Royal Thai Government in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the purpose of the meeting was to draw together representatives from the major RCPs throughout the world to share experiences and exchange views on the value and benefits of promoting regional dialogue, capacity development and cooperation on migration through RCPs.  Participants also examined the value of interaction between RCPs, as well as exchange between RCPs and the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).  The meeting was co-chaired by representatives of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IOM.

Approximately 60 people attended the meeting, primarily composed of representatives of the Chairing Governments and/or Secretariats of the following principal RCPs around the world:

• the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM or Puebla Process) in North and Central America;
• the South American Conference on Migration (SACM);
• the Mediterranean Transit Migration Dialogue (MTM Dialogue) in Europe and North Africa;
• the Migration Dialogue in West Africa (MIDWA);
• the Migration Dialogue in Southern Africa (MIDSA);
• the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) RCP in Eastern Africa/Horn of Africa (IGAD-RCP);
• the Inter-Governmental Asia-Pacific Consultations on Refugees, Displaced Persons and Migrants (APC);
• the Ministerial Consultation on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia (Colombo Process);
• the Ministerial Consultation on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia (Abu Dhabi Dialogue);
• the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime in the Asia-Pacific;
• the Söderköping Process in Central Europe;
• the Budapest Process in Europe and Central Asia; and
• the Inter-Governmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC) covering countries in Europe and North America as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Agenda - 4 June 2009

Participants were welcomed by Mr. Panich Vikitsreth, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thailand, and IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.  Each RCP was then introduced by its respective delegation, including with respect to its structure, membership, thematic focus, goals and challenges.  To facilitate these introductions, a document providing a short overview of each RCP was distributed.  The day’s final session consisted of a short briefing on an upcoming independent assessment of the outputs and impacts of RCPs – based primarily on each RCP’s own purposes and objectives – to be undertaken by a professor from the University of Toronto in collaboration with IOM.

Agenda - 5 June 2009

The second day began with a session on "Promoting more effective migration management", which focused specifically on (1) the role of RCPs in capacity building, policy coherence and governance, and (2) migration and development issues within RCPs.  In the next session, participants discussed the desirability of and possibilities for strengthening collaboration among RCPs and improving cross-fertilization among them.  Finally, participants discussed the linkages between RCPs and the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), including improving cross-fertilization between RCPs and the GFMD, and recommendations to the GFMD.  The meeting was closed following concluding remarks provided by the co-chairs.

A report of the meeting will be made available on this webpage in due course.