South-South Migration: Partnering Strategically for Development

24 - 25 March 2014
International Conference Center Geneva (CICG)
17 rue de Varembé, Geneva, Switzerland

Background

The workshop on "South-South Migration: Partnering Strategically for Development” was held in the framework of IOM's International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) which in 2014 has the overall theme of "Human Mobility and Development: Emerging Trends and New Opportunities for Partnerships ".

Consistent with IOM's mandate and Strategy Document (activity 7), the IDM provides a forum for IOM Member and Observer States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other partners, to share experiences and perspectives on migration matters with a view to identifying practical solutions and fostering greater cooperation.

Overview

The first workshop in the series advanced that increasingly unequal global demographic, social and economic trends have been shaping complex new migration flows and patterns. Countries traditionally seen as nations of emigration are increasingly becoming destinations for migrants from both developed and developing countries.  The current global migration trends present significant development challenges as well as huge opportunities for development.

The purpose of this workshop was to deepen understanding of the nature and dynamics of these new migration trends and to explore policies and management mechanisms available and particularly with regard to South-South mobility.  Specifically, it aimed to:

  • Provide the IOM membership with the opportunity to discuss the emerging migration trends, the factors behind and their implications for development and learn how relevant stakeholders take account of these when formulating and implementing their policies.
  • Bring together stakeholders from the governments, international organizations, regional communities, academia, private sector and civil society to exchange their perspective and experience in responding to the dynamics of migration and identify good practices of shared management of challenges and opportunities to ensure positive development outcomes.
  • Exchange examples of successful bilateral, regional and interregional partnerships in place involving public and private actors as well as innovative ideas for stronger and multi-stakeholder partnerships aimed at improving the positive outcome of complex migration trends.
  • Provide the opportunity for participants to learn about the Organization’s experience, programmes and efforts to harness the development potentials of migration and decrease its costs.    

Agenda

24 March 2014- Day 1
   
09:00 – 10:00      Registration
10:00 – 11:00 Opening Session

Welcome remarks: William Lacy Swing, Director General, IOM

Keynote address: Honourable Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment of the Republic of Mauritius (Bio)

Setting the scene: Jill Helke, Director, Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM (Presentation)
   
11:00 – 13:00 SESSION I: Innovative approaches to decreasing the costs of migration for development: the launch of the “Public-Private Alliance for fair and Ethical Recruitment”              
   
  Moderator:  William Lacy Swing, Director General, IOM (Presentation)

Speakers:
 

  • Honourable Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment of the Republic of Mauritius
  • Brent Wilton, Secretary General, International Organization of Employers (IOE) (Bio)
  • Liberty Casco,  Deputy Administrator, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)  (Bio | Statement)
  • A. Didar Singh, Secretary General of the Federal Chamber of Commerce of India (FCCI) (Bio | Presentation)
  • Nick Forster, Senior Vice-President of Group Business Development, FSI Worldwide (Bio | Statement)
   
13:00 – 15:00 Afternoon Break
   
15:00 - 17:40 SESSION II: Understanding global trends and complex migration patterns: focus on South-South migration
   
  Moderator: Monika Peruffo, Director a.i., African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration

Speakers:
 

  • Hélène Bourgade, Chief of Unit, EuropeAid, European Commission (Bio | Statement)
  • Jack Monedi, Director, Department of Home Affairs, South Africa (Bio | Presentation)
  • Federico Agusti, Director of External Relations of the National Direction of Migration, Argentina (Bio | Presentation)
  • Huiyao Wang, Director General of the Center for China and Globalization, China (Bio | Presentation)
  • Marius Olivier, Director, Institute for Social Law and Policy and Extraordinary/ Adjunct Professor, Northwest University, South Africa  (Bio | Presentation)
  • Honoré Mimche, Researcher,  Institute of Formation and Demographic Research (IFORD), Cameroon (Bio | Presentation)
   
17:40 – 18:00 Wrap- up and end of day 1
   
25 March 2014 - Day 2  
   
10:00 – 12:00 IOM’S Experience and Programming
  Moderator: Gervais Appave, Director, Department of Migration Management, IOM

Speakers:
 

  • Davide Mosca, Director, Migration Health Department, IOM (Presentation)
  • Monika Peruffo, Director a.i., Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration, IOM (Presentation)
  • Dina Ionesco, Policy Officer, Migration, Environment and Climate Change, Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM (Presentation)
  • Tauhid Pasha, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Human development, Department of Migration Management, IOM (Presentation)
  • Jason Clarke, Senior Specialist, Border and Identity Solutions, on behalf of the African Capacity Building Centre (ACBC), IOM (Presentation)
  • Lorenzo Guadagno, Expert, Disaster Risk Reduction, Livelihoods and Urbanization, Department of Operations and Emergencies, IOM (Presentation)
   
12:00 – 13:00 MIGRANT’S VOICE Moises Uamusse, President of the Association of Mozambican mine workers (AMIMO), Mozambique Presenter:  Azzouz Samri, Head, Governing Bodies Division, IOM (Bio | Presentation)
   
13:00 – 15:00 Afternoon Break
   
15:00 - 17:30 SESSION III: Adjusting partnerships to challenges of emerging migration patterns
   
  Moderator:  Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General, IOM

Speakers:
 

  • Edith Laure Itoua, Counsellor of the President of the Republic of Congo, Chief of the Department of the Congolese abroad (Bio | Presentation)
  • Liberty Casco, Deputy Administrator, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)  (Bio | Presentation)
  • Johnny Ruiz Arce, Head of the Labour Migration Unit, Ministry of Labour of Costa Rica (Bio | Presentation)
  • Tony Luka Elumelu, Principal Programme Officer/Head, Free Movement and Migration, Economic Commissions of Western African States (ECOWAS) (Bio | Presentation)
  • Philip Bob Jusu, Migration Officer, Social Affairs Department, African Union Commission (Bio | Presentation)
  • François Gemenne, Professor and Researcher, Migration and Environment, University of Versailles and University of Liège (Bio | Presentation)
17:30- 18:00 Closing Session
   
 
  • The IOM Deputy Director General, Laura Thompson, presented the summary of workshop conclusions (Summary)
End of workshop