Dhaka – Foreign Secretary and GFMD current chair Md Shahidul Haque on Sunday said they have still a long way to go to reach a consensus on how the global compact on safe, orderly and regular migration will be designed though Bangladesh placed three proposals. “It’s too early to make comment. There’re different views from different countries. There’ll be long negotiations. But I’m optimistic,” he told reporters after second day’s sessions of the 9th GFMD (Global Forum on Migration and Development) Summit.
The consensus at the UN General Assembly to hold an intergovernmental conference in 2018 will be the first of its kind, with an exclusive focus on adopting a ‘Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration’ by the Member States.
Importantly, the New York declaration adopted by the UN Summit on September 19 includes an explicit commitment to strengthening global governance of migration.
The Foreign Secretary said they are now in initial discussions on what type of compact they will have – whether it will be binding or non-binding one.
Haque said Bangladesh proposed three ways for designing the compact – it may be binding and it can be non-binding but all member states will implement it. “Even it can be an instrument comprising previous two having both binding and non-binding provisions. Discussion is on…,” he added.
The Foreign Secretary, however, said still there are many countries which are unwilling to talk about it.
The Foreign Secretary said there were six roundtables and three side events on the second day.
He said the member states discussed on three issues – how migration cost can be reduced, migration and connectivity and migration governance. “There have been good discussions.”
The Foreign Secretary said there will be discussions on three issues on Monday, the concluding day of the event. “Recommendations will come from the discussions that will be reflected in chair’s conclusion.”
Responding to a question, Haque said Rohingya issue did not came directly or indirectly in the day’s discussions. “However, forced displacement is an issue which will come up for discussion tomorrow in the context of climate change,” he said. -UNB
