Enhancing the Role of Return Migration in Fostering Development (2008)
Background
The workshop on "Enhancing the Role of Return Migration in Fostering Development" will be held in the framework of IOM's International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) which in 2008 has an overall theme of "Return Migration: Challenges and Opportunities".
The IDM was launched in 2001 to provide an informal forum for IOM Member and Observer States as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders for the exchange of perspectives and experiences on migration matters with a view to identifying practical solutions and fostering greater interstate cooperation.
Overview
The role of return migration as a development tool has increasingly been attracting the attention of policy- makers and others in both the migration and development domains. It is now widely recognized that the return of migrants possessing different skills can contribute substantially to home-country development through their considerable human, financial and other resources, regardless of whether the return is permanent, temporary, circular or virtual in nature. Policy makers in countries of origin, transit and destination stand to gain from exploring ways to facilitate development-friendly return migration in each of its different forms and to enhance its role in fostering development. Promising approaches to this end include intra-state and inter-state partnerships and partnerships between States and other important stakeholders such as diasporas, migrants' associations, trade unions and employers, to name just a few.
The main objectives of the workshop are:
- To bring together governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector to stimulate discussion on existing practices intended to maximize the positive development impact of return migration, highlighting the diverse and yet complementary perspectives of countries of origin, transit and destination with a view to helping to reconcile and balance the varied interests of all migration and development stakeholders.
- To provide the IOM membership with the opportunity to discuss the linkages between return migration and development and to identify effective means for and successful approaches to managing return in a safe, dignified and sustainable manner while furthering development objectives.
- To bring forward and highlight possibilities for and benefits of multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary cooperation to enhance the role of return migration in fostering development.
Agenda
7 July 2008 - Day I | |
09:00 - 10:00 | Registration |
10:00 - 10:15 |
Welcome Remarks |
10:15 - 11:00 | Setting the Scene |
General Discussion |
|
11:00 - 13:00 | Session I: Exploring the Return-Development Nexus - Case Studies |
Moderator: Jean-Christophe Dumont, Principal Administrator, Non- Member Economies and International Migration, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Speakers:
General Discussion |
|
13:00 - 15:00 | Afternoon Break |
15:00 - 18:00 |
Session II: Tools and Measures for Return Moderator: Meera Sethi, Regional Adviser Sub-Sahara Africa, IOM (Bio) Speakers:
General Discussion |
8 July 2008 - Day II | |
10:00 - 10:30 | Migrant's Voice: Return – Integration Reintegration |
Abdou Mbengue Sene, Architect, RIBA London, Dakar, Senegal (Presentation) General Discussion |
|
10:30 - 13:00 |
Session III: Enhancing the Development Potential of Return Migration – Practical Approaches Moderator: Carlos Eladio Segura Vicente, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva (Bio) Speakers:
General Discussion |
13:00 - 15:00 | Afternoon Break |
15:00 - 17:50 |
Session IV: Making Return Work for Development – Multi-stakeholder Partnerships Moderator: Eugene Owusu, Senior Advisor for Africa, United Nations / United Nations Development Programme, Brussels Speakers:
General Discussion |
17:50 - 18:00 | Wrap-up and Closing Remarks |
End of the Workshop |