IOM Deputy Director General, Ambassador Laura Thompson, received
the distinction of Honorary Citizen of the Andean Community (CAN by
its Spanish acronym) in recognition of her work at IOM, and the
Organization’s contribution in strengthening the integration
process of the Andean Sub-Region.

"I am very excited to receive this important recognition and I
deeply thank the CAN for this great honor.  The differences
between our countries are small, and it is our common culture and
history that bind, this should be a unifying factor for all
citizens of Latin America, and especially for the Andean
Region.  Therefore, CAN’s work is essential in order to
address the common goal of integration,” said Ambassador
Thompson during the ceremony.

As part of an official visit by Ambassador Thompson to Peru to
assess the development and implementation of IOM projects and
strengthen ties with its counterparts, she also stressed the
importance of joint initiatives between IOM and the Andean
Community, which aim to promote integration processes from the
migration perspective.

“The movement of people is the last missing link in our
fully globalized world.  And it is the endeavour of agencies
that work on migration, to highlight the positive side of
migration; showing that well managed human mobility is an
outstanding asset for economic, labour and cultural exchange, as
well as to make our people better," she added.

This important recognition for IOM’s Deputy Director
General reaffirms the relationship between the two institutions and
strengthens the joint commitment to continue developing and
implementing actions and projects that promote the Andean
integration process through migration.

IOM has been working with the General Secretariat of the Andean
Community and other regional institutions in order to contribute to
the economic and social development of the more than 100 million
citizens of the Andean Sub Region and to support the integration
process between countries.

The award was presented on 19 June 2012 by the General
Secretariat of the Andean Community in Lima, in a ceremony attended
by Adalid Contreras, CAN Secretary General a.i., José Ivan
Dávalos, Chief of the IOM Mission in Peru and other senior
officials.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Thompson submitted an
application for the International Organization for Migration to be
granted Observer status to the Andean Community.

For more information, contact

Carolina Santos S.

Tel. 221 7209 Ext. 145

Mobile. 968 216 777

E-mail: "mailto:casantos@iom.int">casantos@iom.int