IOM to provide technical support
Dhaka, Sept 19 – BD Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque on Tuesday said there is no denying that international migration is providing unequivocal scope for Bangladesh to unlock potentials for sustainable development.“A nation’s effort in building a beneficial and responsible migration governance framework should be reflected by conducive political, economic, social and environmental conditions so that migration continues to remain as a choice and migrants are treated with respect and dignity,” he said.
The Foreign Secretary was addressing a workshop in the city organised by the government and IOM, the UN Migration Agency, where inputs from key stakeholders were gathered to finalise the migration governance framework for Bangladesh.
The workshop was held within the scope of the European Union funded project on improved migration governance and sustainable reintegration for Bangladesh.
The government of Bangladesh will adopt a framework on migration governance with technical support from IOM.
Representatives from key ministries, development partners, the private sector, research institutions, national media and others attended it.
The workshop was chaired by the Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque who expressed sari to see the draft report on Migration Governance Framework in Bangladesh.
“The EU is committed to approaching migration in a comprehensive way and to mainstream migration into all relevant policy areas,” underscored Audrey Maillot, European Union’s Team Leader, Governance.
“It is one of the political priorities of the EU as it impacts the overall EU foreign policy and development cooperation.”
She also highlighted that the migration and development nexus is an important component of the EU’s global approach on migration and mobility, the overarching framework for EU’s external migration policy.
The contribution of migrants to the country’s development has never been more significant, IOM said.
Bangladesh received US$ 13.5 Billion remittances in the year 2017.
With migration becoming one of the key livelihood options for Bangladeshis, particularly for youth, the need to develop a comprehensive governance framework has become vital.
“The migration governance framework will set out a common understanding among key stakeholders, ensure shared responsibilities and unite the nation to benefit the most, and will promote safe and orderly migration opportunities,” said Sharon Dimanche, the Deputy Chief of IOM Bangladesh.
“The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for finalising the framework. Bangladesh is one of the first countries to come up with a migration governance framework on a comprehensive country assessment.”
She also thanked the Government for the continued support in prioritizing migration issues.
Earlier this year, UN members states agreed to adopt the historic Global Compact for Migration (GCM), a culmination of a process that began in September 2016 with the High-Level Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants.
It is slated for adoption at an Intergovernmental Conference in Marrakesh in December.
IOM, one of the co-chairs of the Global Migration Group, has been instrumental in providing technical support that led to the adoption of GCM.
The organization will also serve as the coordinator and secretariat of the UN’s network on migration to ensure effective and coherent system-wide support for implementation.
With the Global Compact likely to drive world’s migration discourse, finalization and subsequent adoption of a migration governance framework in Bangladesh through internal government processes is going to contribute the whole migration process in Bangladesh and beyond, IOM said. – UNB
