Opening procedures, election of officers, adoption of the agenda and admission of new Members and observers

Statements by the Director General and the Deputy Director General

Presentation by the Administration and discussion

• "The Road Ahead" - Presentation by the Director General to the IOM Council

Presentation of the World Migration Report 2008 on Managing Labour Mobility in the Evolving Global Economy

• Presentation of the 2008 World Migration Report

General Debate - Statements by Members and Observers

• Director General’s Summary of Deliberations

Special Panel: Global Migration Group (GMG) -an interactive discussion with IOM’s membership on the impact of the global financial crisis on migrants and migration as well as the GMG’s work to date and priority areas of focus.

High-level presentations and discussion

General Debate - Statements by Members and Observers

General Debate - Statements by Members and Observers

a) Return Migration: Challenges and Opportunities – managing return migration so as to maximize its benefits and minimize its potential negative effects

• Opening presentation - IOM Administration

High-level presentations and discussion

Panellists:

• Vandi Minah  (Bio), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sierra Leone
• Alfonso Lopez, Undersecretary of Consular Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ecuador 
• Lolita Maguigad (Bio | Presentation), Development Communications Officer, Unlad Kabayan, The Philippines

b) Migration Highlights – selected recent and forthcoming migration developments

High-level presentations and discussion

Panellists:

• Erlinda F. Basilio (Presentation), Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, and Athanasios Nakos (Bio | Presentation), Deputy Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization, Greece, on the Global Forum on Migration and Development
• Mauricio Hernández, Undersecretary for Prevention and Promotion of Health, Mexico, on HIV/AIDS and mobile populations (Presentation)
• Jean-Christophe Peaucelle, Head, Office of European Affairs, Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Solidarity Development, France, on migration as a priority of the French EU Presidency
• Fathia Alwan, Programme Officer for Social Development, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), on IGAD Regional Consultative Process on migration (Presentation)

c) Addressing Mixed Migration Flows

• Opening presentation - IOM Administration

High-level presentations and discussion

Panellists:

• António Guterres (Bio), High Commissioner, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
• Trygve Nordby (Bio), Chairperson, IFRC Reference Group on Migration, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• Johan Ketelers (Bio | Presentation), Secretary General, International Catholic Migration Committee