IOM, stakeholders discuss global migration

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), together with the Ministry of Interior, has held a day’s national stakeholders consultative meeting on the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and migration governance in Ghana.

The meeting brought together representatives from academia, civil society, government agencies and international organization to share ideas in an effort to contribute to the shaping of the GCM, which seeks to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.

The meeting, the second to be held in West Africa on GCM, created the platform for stakeholders in Ghana to provide the UN with its perspective.

Sylvia Lopez-Ekra, Chief of Mission/IOM Ghana, who gave participants a background to the compact, said for the first time last year, heads of State and Governments came together to discuss at the global level in the UN General Assembly issues related to migration and refugees.

“This sent an important political message that migration and refugee matters have become major issues in the international agenda and there was the need for a comprehensive approach to human mobility and enhanced cooperation at the global level,” she added.

Mrs Lopez-Ekra further noted that the meeting ended with the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants by the 193 UN Member States that pledged, among others, to protect the safety, dignity and human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, regardless of their migratory status under six key thematic areas.

“The New York Declaration, which was adopted as the outcome of this summit, committed member states to launching a process of intergovernmental negotiations leading to the adoption of a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration at an intergovernmental conference to be held in 2018,” she said.

Sophie Nonnenmacher, Regional Liason and Policy Officer/IOM Regional Office Dakar, in her presentation on the compact, said the GCM will help member states to set out a range of principles, commitments and understandings among member states regarding international migration in all its dimensions.”

“It would make an important contribution to global governance and enhance coordination on international migration. It would present a framework, including actionable commitments, to guide comprehensive action and international cooperation on migrants and human mobility,” she added

Ms. Nonnenmacher said the compact, when finalized, would deal with all aspects of international migration, including the humanitarian, developmental, human rights-related and other aspects of migration.

Deputy Minister for Interior, Henry Quartey, who spoke at the event, reiterated government’s willingness to be part of the formulation of the global document on the important issue of migration, which has an impact on the sub-region.

He was hopeful the meeting would highlight the real challenges that need to be addressed to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration.