Making Global Labour Mobility a Catalyst for Development (2007)
October 8-9, 2007
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
7bis, avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Background
This seminar forms part of IOM's International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) which in 2007 has an overall theme of “Migration Management in the Evolving Global Economy”. The IDM was launched by IOM in 2001 to provide a forum to States as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders for the exchange of views and experiences on migration matters, with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of migration and strengthening cooperative mechanisms to comprehensively and effectively address migration issues.
Overview
Globalization is facilitating greater labour mobility at all skill levels – along South-South, South-North and other trajectories – as a result of rising efficiencies in transportation, communication and financial transfers, evolving social networks among transnational communities, and disparities in wages and working conditions between countries. Public and private stakeholders are seeking ever more effective and humane avenues for labour mobility as part and parcel of comprehensive economic, development and migration management strategies. Nonetheless, there are wide variations in the impacts of migration and migration management strategies and in their implications for human resource development, economic competitiveness and distributional patterns within and among countries of origin and destination as well as in their impacts on related issues such as social cohesion, security, fiscal soundness and environmental management
The main objectives of the workshop were:
- to bring together representatives of the various authorities involved in the management of labour migration, including policy makers and other stakeholders directly responsible for these issues;
- to share experiences relating to labour migration management from the perspectives of migrants, public and private sector actors and other non-governmental entities; and
- to identify effective tools for managing the movement of people in the context of a globalizing economy.
Agenda
8 October 2007 - Day I | |
09:00 - 10:00 | Registration |
10:00 - 10:15 | Welcome Remarks, Brunson McKinley, Director General, International Organization for Migration |
10:15 - 10:30 | Keynote Presentation, Cristina de Luca, Under Secretary of State for Social Solidarity, Italy |
10:30 - 11:00 |
Setting the Scene
General Discussion |
11:00 - 13:00 |
Session I: Towards More Effective Labour Migration Management: Assessing Labour Market Needs and Labour Force Skills Profiles Moderator: Ibrahim Awad, Director, International Migration Programme, International Labour Organization
General Discussion |
13:00 - 15:00 |
Afternoon Break |
15:00 - 18:00 |
Session II: Key Policy Elements in Comprehensive Labour Migration Management Moderator: Ricardo Cordero, Senior Expert, Labour and Facilitated Migration Division, Migration Management Services, International Organization for Migration
General Discussion End of Day One |
9 October 2007 - Day II | |
10:00 - 10:15 | Migrant Story: Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman, WARBE Development Foundation, Bangladesh (Presentation) |
10:15 - 13:00 |
Session III: The Role of Private Sector and Other Stakeholders in Making Labour Migration Work for Development Moderator: Antonio Peñalosa, Secretary-General, International Organization of Employers
General Discussion |
13:00 - 15:00 | Afternoon Break |
15:00 - 17:50 |
Session IV: Leveraging the Development Potential of Temporary and Circular Migration Moderator: Richard S. Newfarmer, Special Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva, World Bank
General Discussion |
17:50 - 18:00 |
Wrap-up and Closing Remarks End of the Workshop |