 Good morning, everybody, and welcome back. Before we continue with our agenda, I understand that the permanent representative of China, Ambassador Cheng Zhu, would like to say a few words because the former president of China, President Jin Zemin, has passed, sadly, away yesterday. Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam Chairperson. On November the 30th, a Chinese former president, Jiang Zemin, passed away. He has been an outstanding leader, enjoyed high prestige among all works of life in China. His passing away is a heavy loss to China and also to our friends all over the world. He will be remembered by the international community, by the people of China for his dedication, for his contribution to global peace, security, and development, for his key role in the great course of China's economic and social development, and for his promotion of friendly corporations with countries all over the world. Many colleagues expressed deep condolences over his passing away and extended sincere sympathy to the Chinese government and people. This has been very much appreciated. If I may, Madam Chairperson, I wish to invite all president here to join me in a minute of silence in memory of the former president, Jiang Zemin. Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Thank you, and my deep condolences for your loss. Excellencies Distinguished Delegates, next. I have the pleasure to share a video message received from His Excellency, Mr. Wilfred A. Abrams, the Minister of Home Affairs and Information and Public Affairs of Barbados, to mark Barbados becoming a member of IOM. It was with great pleasure I woke up this morning to a message from Michel Klein Solomon, advising me that Barbados has now been accepted officially as a member of the International Organization of Migration. I'm sorry I could not be there with you officially to accept and to participate in the proceedings. November the 30th, 2022, March 56 years of independence for Barbados, and also our first year as a republic. So as the person in charge of the celebrations in Barbados, I could not be there. I look forward to being there next year. Barbados, while not being a member of the IOM, has long since adhered to the best practices exposed by the IOM, and as we seek to build out our capacity as a country, we are underpopulated and we are embarking upon a managed migration policy so that we can get the skill sets that we need into Barbados and develop Barbados for the rest of the 21st century and into the future. So migration, immigration policies, these are front burner issues for the government of Barbados. In addition, Barbados has been one of the countries at the forefront of the fight against the climate crisis. Our Prime Minister, the Honourable Mia Amor Motley is one of the leading voices in the world fighting against climate change and fighting for the rights of small island states which are on the forefront of the effects of the climate crisis while being among the least of the polluters. So the objectives and aims of IOM tend to merge directly with those of Barbados. It was interesting to note that the largest migration over the world in the world over the last year has been climate related as opposed to war or famine or even smuggling. So our objectives are laying entirely with yours. While it cannot be there this year, I look forward to being there at the next meeting and I assure the IOM that although we are the newest member, we will be one of the most vocal and one of the most important partners that you have. So on behalf of the government of Barbados, on behalf of my Prime Minister, on behalf of the people of Barbados, we thank you for accepting us into the family of the IOM and we look forward to working with you. God bless you and happy independence for Barbados. Thank you. And we will now to continue our general debate and I would like to remind speakers of the time allocated, which is three minutes for Member States. To ensure the smooth running of the meeting, I would also like to request all those taking the floor to speak at a reasonable pace and to allow accurate interpretation in particular if delegates are participating online. In all cases, to ensure accurate and clear interpretation, copies of all statements should be submitted in advance by all delegations to the meeting secretary before the opening of the relevant morning or afternoon session. Please also note that the full text of statements given to the secretariat will then also be published on the IOM website unless the meeting secretary is advised otherwise. And I now invite statements of Member States and I have the honor to first give the floor to Norway. Norway, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning. Norway is proud to be a committed partner to the IOM, an organization with increased reach, influence and importance to migrants all over the world. Thank you, Director-General, for a comprehensive report to the Council yesterday. We have a tough year ahead, as has already been underlined through the Standing Committee meeting, the Dialogue on Migration and our deliberations in the Council up till today. Needs will continue to rise in 2023 as climate change, food insecurity and conflict force people into displacement in countries such as Ukraine, Pakistan, the Horn of Africa, only to name a few of the hotspots. Norway deploys the Russian aggression in Ukraine in the strongest possible way, not least its implications for forced migration. We receive echoes from the field that the IOM staff in Ukraine is providing not only crucial support, but coordination and is representing the UN and the best of our goodwill for the Ukrainian people. We are honored to be sharing in the funding of your operations in Ukraine. We recognize the difficult circumstances that the staff on the ground are experiencing. Norway has donated civilian, military and humanitarian support to Ukraine, and we're supporting the neighboring countries who are shouldering the burden of the increased displacement. This week, we were able to bolster our support to IOM on further in this globally devastating crisis. Norway supports and recognizes the important work that has been put down this year to reform the organization, organizationally and financially. We welcome the budget reforms and the strengthening of core functions. We request continued updates on the implementation of the reforms, as well as further work on risk management and results-based approaches in the entirety of the organization. We also need to continue to emphasize the need for audit and oversight, as well as systems to implement our common zero tolerance for sexual exploitation abuse and harassment. Norwegian partners to the IOM have taken note of improvements in the management of our bilateral agreements, reflecting the increased capacity of the organization. On our side, as a donor, we are committed to provide plurianual, non-airmarked support, in line with our intention to provide continuity, predictability and flexibility for the organization. As a host society for migrants and refugees, Norway has the responsibility to facilitate and regulate legal pathways and inclusion into the Norwegian society and our labor market. We also need to work towards common responsible and efficient return policies so that irregular migration doesn't undermine the positive legal migration. Our government has put into place an initiative which endeavors to address support to displaced populations and their host communities simultaneously. In order to address internal displacement, forced migration, and to discourage secondary movements and prevent irregular migration, we need to build resilience and create sustainable livelihoods in host communities, whether they are in countries of origin or transit. Reflecting many of the statements of this council up till today, we need to work out the humanitarian development peace nexus in practice in the field if we are able to address the complex migratory challenges ahead of us. Thank you. Thank you very much. And may I very kindly remind delegates taking the floor to stick to the speaking time of three minutes. And with this in mind, I have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Panama, Ambassador. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Members of the council, I would like to highlight the work of the ILO to respond to the current and future migration challenges. As member states, we need to join our efforts to overcome the challenges and through a joint cooperation achieve our goals. Migration is a long-standing and constant phenomenon and we cannot be indifferent to it. Most certainly, economic liberation creates a greater demand for labor to increase productivity and therefore a massive movement of people looking for better living conditions. Due to these interconnections, migration is beneficial when it is safe, orderly and regular. However, the increase of irregular migrants, which we currently face, means that we need a better and greater global and regional coordination to ensure it is sustainable. Around 4% of the global population migrates with the hope of a better life. And despite the fact that each region has various and different scenarios, the reality is that in Latin America we are witness to an unprecedented movement of irregular migrants. Official data on migration in Panama shows that this year, more than 220,000 migrants have entered the country by the Darian region transiting to North America. The current migration crisis, which Panama does not escape, reaches record figures. And we offer full and comprehensive assistance to people on the move, implementing various strategies and projects for the reception of migrants and we provide healthcare assistance, food and data collection at these points. With a strategic position, we build bridges of collaboration with the various actors so that the assistance on migration is done from a humanitarian perspective. And that's going to be our greatest objective. When in 2023, we will continue and make real the work of the regional conference for migration in the pro-temporary presidency. We will privilege and prioritize joint work based on shared responsibility so that we provide full and comprehensive assistance to ensure migration is safe, orderly and regular. Led by a humanitarian approach, Panama offers food, refuge and healthcare to migrants who arrive and transit through our territory. Searching for a better future. It's essential that we strengthen the spirit of collective solidarity as well as shared responsibility. And all countries, be they of origin, transit or destination, must work in coordination on these challenges. Latin America is one of the regions that's most affected by mass migration, which unfortunately is encouraged by international organized crime which works on people trafficking, smuggling of migrants and other crimes and puts at risk and danger the lives of thousands of people every day. It's urgent that we adopt long lasting solutions to these threats. Migration is a global phenomenon that we cannot stop, but which we can regulate suitably to ensure that we have orderly and safe flows. That is the aim and goal of Panama working as a champion country of the global compact. I call on the creation of more spaces for multilateral constructive dialogue between states and international organizations so that we can ensure the joint implementation of sustainable strategies to ensure there is a humanitarian treatment which minimizes risk to life and safety. Thank you very much. Thank you. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey. Turkey, you have the floor. Mr. Director General, Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear Chairperson, first of all, like others before me, I would like to start by congratulating you on assuming the role of Chairperson of the Council. Turkey hosts the second largest IAM global mission which supports our migration management through joint projects and activities. We consider IAM as a strong and reliable partner since the 90s. Turkey continues to be the world's largest refugee hosting country since 2014. Unfortunately, after 11 years, the protracted situation in Syria is still affecting the lives of millions of Syrians. IAM, along with our national authorities, plays a crucial role in extending a lifesaving assistance syrians in need as well as other vulnerable groups. We value a lot the work of the IAM. Turkey has actively contributed to the GCM since its inception. As the champion countries, we remain committed to implement the GCM objectives through our national framework. The number of forcibly displaced people reach an unprecedented level in the world. New challenges such as extreme weather events, food insecurity, ongoing wars, and conflicts are causing more and more displacement. We welcome the IAM reform which will increase IAM's ability to adapt itself to new challenges. We understand that the high-level segment of the Council was a fruitful stock taking discussion on the nexus between climate change, food security, migration, and displacement. It's certain that the outcome of this valuable discussion will contribute to the IAM works in the future. Distinguished guests, the surge of food and energy prices causes inflation and the risk of malnutrition even hunger. The damaged supply routes are yet to fully recover. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, our position has been clear. We remain steadfast in our commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. We continue to provide strong political, humanitarian, and technical support to Ukraine. Simultaneously, we have been engaging with both sides diplomatically. The Istanbul grain agreement dealt between the parties and brokered by Turkey and the UN proves the value of the diplomatic track. Thanks to the Blexi Grain Initiative, more than 12 million tons of grain products have reached the world markets. It provides lowest income countries access to products. It also reduces grain prices internationally. Thanks to our diplomatic efforts with the UN, the agreement has been successfully extended for another four months. Dear colleagues, extreme weather conditions are increasingly driving displacement. This year only, millions of people in Pakistan and Somalia have been affected by floods and roads. We see climate change as a risk multiplier for countries. Therefore, our efforts to address climate change should include adaptation and resilience-building support to affected countries. Dear colleagues, lastly, I would like to reiterate Turkey's commitment to strengthening migration governance in solidarity with the international community. With this understanding, Turkey will continue to support IM's efforts and the UN system on migration-related issues. Thank you. Thank you. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, you have the floor. Thank you, Chair. Chairperson, Excellencies, Heads of Delegations, Distinguished Delegates, Zimbabwe aligns itself with the statement delivered by Nigeria on behalf of the Africa Group. Chairperson, I would like to commend you for the excellent manner in which you are presiding over our deliberations. Zimbabwe would like to express appreciation to the IOM Director-General, Mr. Antonio Vittorino, for his report which provides a good basis for this general debate. Having followed with interest, the issues raised by the DG, which resonates with the statements articulated by member states during the high-level segment, Zimbabwe wishes to highlight the following areas for consideration in line with the IOM strategic vision for 2019 to 2023 under the areas of resilience, mobility, and governance. Chair, with respect to resilience, it is important for us to invest in the early warning systems in preparedness to undisputed crisis. In this sense, disaster risk reduction strategies must also include forced migration mitigation measures. There is also need to put risk reduction measures in place so that communities can be more resilient to the shocks of climate change. And this would best be done by designing and implementing solutions in an integrated manner that includes early warning systems and community capacity strengthening. These are crucial preventive measures to the effects of climate induced forced migration. Regarding mobility, Chair Pesin, the government of Zimbabwe recognizes that there is a growing concern of migration and human mobility in Africa given that the relationship between migration environment and climate change is highly complex. The dynamics of climate change coupled with population changes in migration and their intricate relationship with development are amongst the most pressing challenges that continue to dominate Africa's social economic development discourse. In this regard, IOM should assist in migration flow monitoring within countries and across borders. Under governance, in order for us to effectively manage the effects of climate change in just migration and food security, it is important to invest in strengthening the capacity of member states to come up with institutional frameworks for migration governance. In Zimbabwe, IOM has been working closely with the Civil Protection Unity in ensuring that the system is prepositioned to respond to emergencies and disasters that could result in forced displacement of communities. In addition, migrant resource vendors have been established at post of entry and exit to provide pre-departure information and familiarization for migrants and sustainable reintegration packages for returners to strengthen their household economy. These institutional frameworks are designed to mainstream age and gender and will therefore age the IOM to continue providing both technical and financial support to member states. Moreover, it is important to build and expand partnerships with other UN agencies dealing with human mobility such as the UNHCR. Other important stakeholders include communities, private players, and the diaspora we have a stake in the migration management discourse. Chairperson, with the respect to the issues raised by the Director General Under Labor Migration Policy reforms, Zimbabwe wishes to highlight the importance of ethical recruitment which allows for the self and orderly movement of migrants. As a country, already implementing an ethical recruitment project, we call upon the IOM to increase its support to both migrants sending and receiving countries. In conclusion, Chairperson, Zimbabwe is of the considered view that if migration is to be effectively managed, the development related imperatives need to be joined. And for us, this relates to the agricultural development, access to better trading opportunities for developing countries, and providing funding to mitigate the effects of climate change is articulated during COP 27. Finally, Chair, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to the people's republic of China on the passing of their former president, His Excellency Jiang Zemin. May he sow rest in peace. I thank you. Thank you. And I now have the honor to give the floor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you so much, your Excellency. Dear Director General, thanks for convening this meeting under very complicated times when we have been faced with tremendous challenges. Among these challenges, the most severe ones are the security related challenges. The war in Ukraine and the growing pressure of illegal migration hitting the European continent. Because of our geography, Hungary has been faced with these challenges in a simultaneous manner. As we are neighbors to Ukraine, the impacts of the war are severe and immediate on us. We have been carrying out the largest humanitarian operation ever in our history. As more than a million refugees have already entered the territory of Hungary and we give them all the necessary help, obviously, as we guarantee equal access both to health care and education to them. So refugee kids and students have been enrolled in more than 1,300 schools and kindergartens in Hungary already. And we will continue this policy of ours, obviously, as long as it is needed, although I have to tell you that the outlook is terrible because harsh winter is coming, which can cause a huge humanitarian catastrophe. So when, if not now, we should urge peace to come as soon as possible and warn those who rather fuel the escalation instead of helping to stop the war, that they should think about those families and those children who have to live without having a safe supply of electricity, thus heating and hot water. Winter is coming and peace must come. So we are neighbors of Ukraine to the east, but in the meantime, we protect the external border of the European Union to the south. And this border of ours is without exaggeration under siege, under siege because we had to stop 255,000 illegal migrants only this year. And I can tell you that there's a new dimension of violence and aggression as these migrants are now carrying weapons, just like their traffickers. And they are using those weapons on each other, on the border guards and very recently shooting on police officers on the territory of Hungary as well. And we also experience a growing number of traffickers which shows that this is becoming a widespreading business. Our authorities have started procedures against 1,500 traffickers only this year. And after a temporary slowdown in the recent years, we see the numbers unfortunately growing very rapidly. So the number of migrants are there where they used to be on the peak back in 2015. So I think there's one thing Madam Chair, Ambassador, what we have to make clear is that international law must be respected and must be applied by all. Which means that if one is forced to escape from his or her home then he or she is entitled by international law to stay temporary on the territory of the first safe country. But no one is entitled to pick a country of taste where he or she would like to live in and no one is entitled to violate borders between safe countries. So crossing a border illegally between two safe countries is a violation of a border which is a crime. A crime and not a human right. And all countries do have the right to make their decision on their own whom they would like to allow to enter and whom not. And we Hungarians are the best example in this regard. We are a direct neighbor to Ukraine. So for those who have to escape from Ukraine we are the first safe country. And based on that we of course allow all of them to enter the territory of Hungary. But for those who are violating our border from the south we are not the first safe country because they have to go through minimum five, six safe countries until they get to the Hungarian border. So they have no right to cross borders between safe countries. And we will of course always protect the territory of our country complying with our national and European obligations. And I think that the policy coming from Brussels which encourages migration should be stopped as well. And the European countries should be supported to be able to protect their own territories and the territory of the European Union as well. Pro migration policy is dangerous and pro migration policy also supports the business scheme of traffickers who make huge money millions of dollars on putting lives of people at risk. So I think we should do two things in this regard. First, we should call things on their real names. And those so-called NGOs who are carrying people through borders between peaceful and safe countries or those NGOs who put lives of people risk at the Mediterranean they should be called who they are. They are traffickers and traffickers commit crime and we should approach to them accordingly and we should not let anyone to put pressure on any country to allow people to enter who do not have rights to enter. And second we do have to tackle the root causes and we have to create circumstances which will make people not to make a decision to leave from their own homes. So dear colleagues during the debate we had in New York and here on the global compact of migration we made it very clear and unfortunately I have to say that it has already been proved that migration can be a very dangerous phenomenon. And in Europe we are not capable to handle two security related severe challenges simultaneously war and a growing pressure of illegal migration. So and we all know that the migratory flaws can easily form a vicious circle with a growing threat of terror as well. So we have to be I think very strong on respecting and on applying international law. Finally I would like to express the appreciation on behalf of the government of Hungary for all the activities which have been carried out and led by Director General Antonio Vittorino and I hope I not ruin your chances entirely by saying that you have the support of the Hungarian government to be elected for your second term. Thank you very much. Thank you and I now invite the Director General for his comments. Thank you so much, Madam Chair. First of all, let me convey the condolences to the People's Republic of China and I would just very briefly say that I thank all the support of Norway and I want to emphasize the key role that Norway plays in leading the agenda on internally displacement worldwide and we look forward to the output of the work of the special advisor on IDPs and going on counting with your support as well as we appreciate particularly the support of Norway to the IOMs operations in Ukraine which are critical not just from the humanitarian point of view but also in the perspective of building the resilience in the communities. As regards Panama, I would like to wish you the best successor in your chairing pro-temporary of the Regional Conference on Migration and we would like to underscore that we will continue working together in a very challenging context that we are witnessing in the Darien region. In fact, by the end of October 2022 there were more than 200,000 migrants that had passed through Darien and we know that this has a very considerable impact on the entire country and we as IOM will continue to cooperate with the government so that we can deal with this very large migratory flow. I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts the diplomatic efforts that Turkey has been developing in terms of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in which IOM is participating as well as the entire UN system and also in the implementation of the strategy document and national action plan to fight irregular migration from 2021 to 2025 and a part that we remain committed to support Turkey's government in facing the world's largest refugee population in one country that's coming mainly from Syria. In terms of Zimbabwe I can reiterate that we go on engaged in supporting our member states in building capacity to confront climate change and its impact in human mobility. Setting up early warning systems disaster risk reductions and building the resilience in the communities so that people eat by climate change does not have to move does not have to migrate that is prepared to confront with the impacts in their livelihoods of slow degradation of the environment or extreme weather events and from our side you can go on counting on our capacity building mechanisms particularly our ACBC center based in Moshe in Tanzania and in relation to Hungary I would emphasize our appreciation for the support that Hungary is providing to the Ukrainian refugees in the framework of the Temporary Protection Directive. I agree with you that the winter and the impacts of the shelling of the electricity facilities in Ukraine may generate a new wave of movement and refugees towards the western countries and IOM is working in with the rest of the UN system on contingency planning for that possible scenario and when it comes to the southern borders I do acknowledge the growth of the migratory pressure on the southern border and to one and my mouse ago I was in Skopje in North Macedonia bringing together the six parties in the region in order to establish a ministerial declaration where those countries have committed not only to improve their border controls aligning their visa policy to the policy of the European Union but also in order to cooperate with countries of origin to improve voluntary return and readmission agreements thank you thank you and I now have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh Bangladesh you have the floor Madam Chair Director General and Deputy Directors General Excellencies distinguished delegates good morning to all of you Let me begin by welcoming Ambassador Lasana for assuming the chair of the IOM Council and Madam Chair yourself for efficiently officiating in his place we appreciate the leadership of Ambassador Madam Catalina Demandas during the last year we congratulate Barbatas for being the newest member of the IOM we commend the Director General for presenting a comprehensive report and updates on the activities and priorities of the IOM Madam Chair Bangladesh as a migrant sending country a host of over 1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar Nationals and a climate vulnerable country works with IOM in different areas of its operation from this experience we underline the continued importance of IOM in quality human mobility and robust migration governance in June this year we joined the consensus on the significant budget reform Bangladesh had earlier demonstrated her commitment and made significant contribution to the migration emergency funding mechanism despite her own constraints we believe this recent reform will help make it the IOM more agile fit for purpose and efficient Madam Chair regrettably politics of fear and mistrust are increasingly influencing the international migration discourse at a time of rise of extreme nationalism migrants are facing negative studio typing and continue to face multifarious challenges in their destination countries IOM needs to enhance its activities in protecting migrates and particularly migrant workers right in destination countries and this is more so in the event of unforeseen shocks and emergencies we also look forward to IOM's continued leadership in the broader implementation of the global compact on migration in the coming years Madam Chair we appreciate IOM for arranging the high-level segment focusing the linkages between climate change food security migration and development we hope that momentum of this high-level segment would be carried forward by the global forum on migration and development and other relevant platforms towards creating an appropriate framework to address the needs of climate migrants the Sharma shake implementation plan recently adopted at the conference of the parties of the UNFCCC has accepted devastating impact on the lives and livelihood of local communities which lead to displacement and human mobility both internally and externally we would encourage the IOM to take advantage of these consensus and push its own strategic objectives as has been agreed at the institutional strategy on migration environment and climate change for the decade 2021-2030 we'd expect IOM to show due determination on development of number one solution for people to move including ethical recruitment of labour migrants and simplification of migration systems number two solutions for the people on the move including protecting rights of migrants and number three solutions for people to stay in their original places of aboard including addressing the drivers and triggers of displacement and forced displacement Madam Chair we demand a rights-based approach and human security approach to guide IOM's operation towards quality migration in the post pandemic era this is more needed in the time of deepening social unrest and conflicts as well as climate-related disasters and resulting displacements I thank you Thank you and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Estonia Estonia you have the floor Chair Director General Excellencies Distinguished Delegates Estonia aligns itself with a statement delivered by the European Union on behalf of the EU and its member states I would like to thank the Director General for his statement and the update on IOM's current activities Estonia appreciates IOM's growing role as a global leader on migration and an irreplaceable partner in the international humanitarian system we strongly count on IOM's vast experience and the network of missions and dedicated experts on the ground this year we come together in the face of previous challenges as armed conflict violence persecution climate change economic uncertainty and food insecurity are all on rise the humanitarian situation worldwide including with reference to migrants and internally displaced persons around the globe is deeply concerning this demands new solutions such as innovative projects joining humanitarian development and peace efforts as well as anticipatory action and resilience building closer to us Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has led to the worst refugee and humanitarian crisis in Europe since the second world war over seven million people are currently internally displaced in Ukraine and more than 7.5 million have led the country most of them women and jelting the impact of Russian aggression reaches much further causing energy crisis and rise in food insecurity and food prices all around the world being particularly harsh on already fragile countries only through international cooperation we have managed to mitigate the destabilizing effects of the war on the global food markets we must not forget as long as Russia is continuing the war of aggression the illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions and the violation of international law global security is at risk Estonia commands IOM for supporting the protection and transit of Ukrainian citizens and residents and providing acute life-saving support on the ground Estonia is doing its part to help and share the burden to date Estonia has sent an estimated 23 million euro in humanitarian aid to Ukraine we are currently hosting a number of Ukrainian refugees equal to more than 4.7% of our population at the same time the challenging situation of irregular migrants in the world remains a high concern for us it demands making the very best use of our resources to be able to assist the most vulnerable in need a holistic approach to migration management is essential to avoid the situation where irregular irregular migrants lives are put in danger or lost Estonia prioritizes addressing the root causes of migration facilitating return and reintegration creating favorable living conditions at home fighting against smuggling and human trafficking as vital elements of a comprehensive approach furthermore we need to develop new and enhanced the existing partnerships with countries of origin and transit for migration let me conclude by reintegrating Estonia's appreciation and support for the vital role and work of IOM I want to salute IOM staff for their dedication and professionalism and we look forward to continuing our cooperation thank you for your attention thank you ambassador and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Holy See Holy See you have the floor thank you Madam Chair at the outset allow me to extend to Barbados on behalf of the Holy See a warm welcome to the IOM family congratulations on your mission to this important organization last year in a message to this council on the occasion of IOM's 70th anniversary Pope Francis said that quote migrants are increasingly being used as bargaining chips as pawns on a chessboard victims of political rivalries as we all know the decision to emigrate to leave one's homeland or territory of origin is undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions in life end quote unfortunately the international situation does not seem to have improved since then human suffering and desperation continue to be exploited in order to defend and even advance political agendas without ignoring the political and legal aspects of a regular migration we must never lose sight of the human face of migration and the fact that beyond the geographical divisions of borders we are part of a single human family migrants are more than numbers or part of a quota to meet each year while their integration is challenging and states must cooperate to properly manage mixed flows it is important to remember that behind the statistics are persons no different from our own family members and friends in this regard the Holy See wishes to ask the council to pause and reflect on the language frequently used in political and policy debates about migration for instance burden sharing redistribution and reallocation such expressions are inherently reductive and characterize migrants refugees and asylum seekers seekers as commodities or liabilities Madam Chair the root causes of migration and forced displacement call into question our achievements as a human family including the area of social justice while states are obligated to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people on the move it is also crucial that the international community help create conditions which allow communities and individuals to live in safety and dignity in their countries of origin consistent with paragraph 13 of the global compact for safe orderly and regular migration in this regard it is past time to acknowledge that when people must flee it is not enough to encourage increased coordination among states in the area of their search and rescue disembarkation and resettlement instead there's a serious need to reconsider and reform the current approach at international borders and at sea if not the current chaos that results in countless acts of violence abuse and increasing loss of life particularly in the Mediterranean will only get worse Madam Chair notwithstanding the complexities that come with migration the perceived challenges must not obscure the opportunities and contributions offered by migrants migration has to be approached with confidence as an opportunity to build peace and not as a threat in this regard the importance of integration in a spirit of mutual knowledge and reciprocal openness and respect cannot be stressed enough this includes the laws and traditions of the host countries which should always encourage a culture of encounter and solidarity in closing confronted by the numerous challenges of contemporary migration and forced displacement cooperation and solidarity should be the watchwords for this council and its members state policy responses should be centered on safety and the protection of human dignity and life they should be concerned with the well-being of countries and citizens but also take into account the needs of the most vulnerable especially in our increasingly interconnected world thank you madam chair thank you and I now have the honor to give the floor to Côte d'Ivoire ambassador Madam chair Côte d'Ivoire would like to support to the declaration made by Nigeria on behalf of the aquifer group and would also like to address the congratulations on your election to the head of the council bureau we would also like to congratulate to the members of the bureau and wish you all the best in carrying out your mandate furthermore Côte d'Ivoire would also like to welcome Barbados as a new member of our common organization Madam chair my delegation would like to thank the director general for presenting his annual report which was comprehensive because it better allows us to better understand the problems linked to human mobility and the challenges linked to it we would also like to congratulate him on his leadership and the excellent work that he's carried out on migratory migratory issues in a challenging context in fact as was indicated in the report migratory flows have reached record levels because of multifaceted crises such as armed conflicts food insecurity the persistence of effects of COVID-19 and climate change and that is why we welcome the high level debate that took place at the beginning of this session which looked at the correlations between these issues of great concern in this debate we are promoting an innovative approaches to prevent prepare and respond to environmental challenges it is urgent that we ensure that there is greater solidarity and international cooperation particularly for developing countries that are most affected by this Côte d'Ivoire has itself initiated a programme to fight against climate change and we aim to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2030 and we have also launched a programme to invest in forestry through intensive reforestation these initiatives should be able to contribute to improving the living conditions of our populations in the country we would like to thank the IOM for its constant support to the country through the development fund which has allowed us to fund the following project developing the government's capacities to for the ethical recruitment and protection of migrant workers in the food and agricultural supply chains furthermore my country welcomes all the actions that have been carried out by the director general and the IOM personnel to provide assistance to migrants across the world we would also like to say how satisfied we are in the fulfilment of the internal government's framework of the IOM which has allowed us to have a constructive dialogue between the states and to look at priorities for financing furthermore Côte d'Ivoire would like to welcome the IOM's work in establishing migratory policies that as part of the institutional frameworks of the 2030 United Nations 2030 Agenda to conclude my delegation would like to call on member states to strengthen cooperation and international solidarity so that we can find lasting solutions to migratory problems we would like to reaffirm our government's engagement to work with the IOM so that we can achieve our mandate thank you Merci beaucoup thank you and I now have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru Peru you have the floor Muchas gracias Muy Buenos Dias Thank you very much and a very good day Madam Vice Chair as it's the first time that I am speaking I would like to express our congratulation to her Excellency on her election as Vice Chair of the Council for the coming year and we also extend our congratulations to Ambassador LaSana Giveri President of the Chair of the Council and Ambassador Lee as Second Vice Chair I feel Peru it's an honor to be elected as reporter which consolidates our willingness to contribute to the growth of the organization we thank Member States for their trust in us we would also like to thank the Director-General for the annual report and the Secretary of the IOM for organising this meeting Chair The new migratory currents have made Peru a country of destination and transit for migrants and have posed new challenges to migration management which have to be seen from a regional and global perspective therefore the state in Peru has been developing a active role in mechanisms such as the Andean community and the organization of American state and in specialist fora such as the South American conference on migration which Peru has taken on the pro-temporary presidency of as well as working in the keto process Our national migration policy has four central pillars which include Peruvians living abroad Peruvians who wish to emigrate Peruvians returning and all foreign citizens in our country The efforts of the state of Peru to include migrants in our society is one where the IOM has played a supporting role to the government of Peru The activities carried out include the emergency response program for migrants and refugees from Venezuelans in Peru and the proposal to add Peru to the coverage of the assisted voluntary return program and the development of the second survey of the Venezuelan population and the second survey of the Peruvian community abroad I would also like to mention willingness and availability to work for the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration Peru participated at the first international forum on first forum on international migration this year and presented a report on the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in Latin America and the Caribbean which will be used at the United Nations Network on Migration and we became a precursor country in the start of the implementation of the Global Compact I would like to repeat our commitment to migrants which was expressed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Peru at the high level segment before this general debate I'd like to express our wishes for every success for the IOM and for strong leadership in particular for the benefit of migrants in need and in the most affected regions thank you thank you Ambassador and congratulations to your election as well from my side I now invite the Director-General for his comments thank you so much Madam Chair First of all I would like to express to Bangladesh our appreciation for the continued cooperation as the host country of over one million Rohingya refugees in Cox Bazaar District and more recently also in the Basin-Shar island we are fully committed to support you and to raise awareness of the international community about the protracted nature of the crisis in Cox Bazaar the Rohingya crisis in Cox Bazaar and the need to have the mobilization of the necessary resources to assist such a huge population of refugees I would also like to emphasize that Bangladesh is on the forefront of the fight against climate change and mobilizing all the climate vulnerability for member states to lead the way towards COP 27 and we appreciate very much the contribution of Bangladesh to the debates in COP 27 allow me also a personal reference to your former ambassador in New York Ambassador Rabab Fatima who had a critical role to play in the progress declaration of the international migration review forum in relation to Estonia I would like to reiterate our commitment to support Estonia as a frontline country because of the war in Ukraine in the application of the temporary protection directive including the access of the beneficiaries of TPD to public services like ELS labor and education which represents of course a significant pressure in the Estonian society and we are ready to pursue our support in relation to the OEC I want to emphasize the privilege I had to meet with the His Holiness the Pope last September and to share with His Holiness our concerns about the situation of the migrants in the Mediterranean particularly the need to have a more proactive activity in terms of search and rescue the figures of the people dying in the central Mediterranean route are extremely high of course one death would be high but the 1200 deaths that we have registered this year is extremely high and this requires measures of support as well as measures to support migrants in distress and we work all over the world with the important network of the Catholic Church providing support and protection to migrants For Côte d'Ivoire first of all I'd like to congratulate Côte d'Ivoire on their pioneer role in terms of migration within the west sub-region of Africa and the support that is all and emphasis that's always been given to climate change and its impact on human mobility and I'd like to stress the importance of the forest program which is a contribution of Côte d'Ivoire to the fight against climate change and I'd also like to reassure you that all of our action for migration management are aligned with the sustainable development goals of the 2030 agenda and the African Union's agenda and to conclude I wanted to congratulate the Ambassador of Peru on his election to the Bureau and repeat actions in Peru for the regularization of foreigners resident in the country in particular refugees and migrants from Venezuela as well as the importance that we accord to the second global survey of Peruvians abroad which is essential to work on the collaboration and contribution of the Peruvian diaspora to the development of the country and finally I would like to congratulate you on the pro-temporary chairmanship of the South American Conference for Migration starting in November and we'd like to congratulate you and assure you of our support thank you Thank you very much and I now have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tunisia Tunisia you have the floor Merci Madame Thank you Madam Chair Director-General Tunisia aligns itself with the statements made by Nigeria and Egypt on behalf of the African group and the Arab group I would also like to use this opportunity to congratulate Barbados and welcome them on joining the organization I thank the Director-General for his opening remarks and his comprehensive report on the various activities and progress made by the organization Chair the IOM has been particularly in demand this year and has seen its activities diversify and increase this situation is likely to continue due to several factors including conflict economic difficulties and climate change whilst welcoming the emergency humanitarian response of the IOM and its staff throughout the world we believe it's necessary for the organization to redouble efforts in the area of preventive measures and long-term solutions so we note with satisfaction within this area the initiative of the IOM to strengthen its contribution to international efforts in fighting climate change we will also remember from this year the holding of the first international migration review forum which allowed heads of state and government to repeat and renew their commitment to the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration and to identify the challenges that countries face in implementing the compact at this forum Tunisia presented an updated report on its activities and in particular to cover all the goals of the compact and we also set out the main progress made with its implementation the Tunisian authorities have also published this year a first inquiry on international migration which aims to fill gaps in terms of data this study is essential step and is a valuable tool for setting up efficient governance of migration and for drawing up policies and strategies for migration on a more global level Tunisia has also intensified its efforts and cooperation on a bilateral level to ensure that there is putting into place of safe and regular migration paths which will guarantee the respect of the rights of migrant workers and their social economic integration in accordance with our commitments the Tunisian authorities have played a significant role in the rescue at sea of migrants and the preservation of their rights and dignity so Tunisia within this calls for a greater solidarity and highlights the absolute necessity to intensify international action in order to tackle the real causes of irregular migration which have worsened in recent times it's time to adopt a global approach which shows solidarity in the treatment of the matter that's why it's ever more urgent given the growth of this trafficking network that we work and reflect further on developing efficient and innovative mechanisms to tackle the issue and I'd like to conclude in assuring you of the support of Tunisia and thank you for listening thank you very much ambassador and I now have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico Vielen Dank Frau Präsidentin thank you Madam Chair my delegation would like to congratulate Ambassador Ranzan Agheri on his election and you have all our support we also thank the director general for his report thank you in 2022 we have seen a year with major challenges on the migratory agenda and there are more than enough examples to illustrate situations of vulnerability that continue to affect migrants and the impact that it has on the enjoyment of human rights this scale and complexity of contemporary migration characterized by mixed migratory flows has also been a major challenge for the capacities of states it's only when we work together with a spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility and with the support of multilateral organizations such as the IOM can we make reality the vision of the Marrakesh pact in achieving safe orderly and regular migration this multilateral vocation brought results at the international review of migration this declaration is a clear expression of the policy and will of states to join to create transcendental changes to the management of migration we encourage the IOM in continuing to support countries with the efficient implementation when we look at various studies we can see that the causes that lead to migration and migratory movement in particular those of unsafe routes and irregular routes climate change for example is one that has visible and deep effects as an accelerator of migration across all regions we need to avoid a scenario which needs two efforts on two fronts on the one hand we need better channels for regular migration but we also have many examples of labor and academic mobility and mechanisms for regularization and family reunification that have been successful we also need to deal with the causes that force people to migrate in addition to the Marrakesh agreement the international community has other major frameworks such as the agenda 2030 the Sendai framework and the Paris Agreement which set out roadmaps to achieve an inclusive and sustainable development that leaves no one behind we welcome the advance of COP 27 in Egypt in particular in the area of loss and damage which will help to contribute to the migration agenda and we hope these commitments will contribute to increase resilience in vulnerable communities and to conclude we would like to repeat the importance of counting on a solid efficient and capacity laden IOM this year we managed to put through budget reform however we still have other areas pending on internal governance and we need to continue working on these thank you thank you very much and I now have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines thank you Madam Chair we congratulate you on your election as chair of the IOM Council please be assured that you have the Philippines full support during your tenure we also thank the director general for his report the Philippines aligns itself with the joint statement of the Asia Pacific Group delivered by the Republic of Korea Madam Chair as members of the community of nations it is incumbent upon member states to continue to provide the IOM with the proper foundations and adequate resources to fulfill the mandate of upholding the rights and welfare of migrants the budget reform signals our ability to cooperate despite differences to weigh in despite respective internal challenges our advocacy for global burden and responsibility sharing informed our support for the budget reform as well as our modest but consistent more voluntary contributions to the migration multi-partner trust fund and the migration emergency funding mechanism we believe that there is an opportunity for all stakeholders traditional and non-traditional donors alike to heed the director general's call for resources to support the IOM's robust global operations and for critical work such as emergency humanitarian assistance we understand that recent international developments including the war in Ukraine other armed conflict and extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change have driven an increased movement and displacement of people this reality has therefore placed demands on organizations such as the IOM to increase presence on the ground in situations of conflict and disasters in mitigating involuntary migration our vision must require coordinated actions both in addressing climate change and having the political will to resolve conflicts that prolong and complicate humanitarian situations Madam Chair in order to address contemporary migration challenges it is imperative for us to keep the conversation going especially after this year's successful meetings including the IOMRF in New York the global diaspora summit in Dublin and the GCM champions ministerial meeting in Rabat the IOM should align its priorities and programs to the GCM and the progress declaration which provide clear mandates and guidance on the ways forward the IOM should work with the UN development system to ensure coherence efficiency and synergy in the multilateral space the IOM has an important niche of coordinating the international community to reduce vulnerabilities of migrants in all stages of migration from recruitment to reintegration these include enhancing a regular pathways from migration and combating trafficking in persons and illegal recruitment putting in place humane alternatives to pushbacks and externalization to prevent loss of lives and human dignity encouraging multilateral and bilateral cooperation to address issues such as labor policy reforms humane treatment of migrants ending wage theft providing decent work spaces and extending social protections and social security entitlements for migrants and finally supporting more programs to help governments create opportunities for and ensure seamless reintegration of returning migrants in their home countries in confronting these tasks we should not be remiss in responding to needs of all people especially groups in vulnerable situations including women and children in indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities Madam Chair we assure you that the Philippines will remain an active participant in IOM mechanisms including here in international Geneva where our migration community plays a key role in shaping IOM governance and management our aspiration is to continue to pave the way towards a lean action-oriented inclusive IOM compassionate and responsive to the plight of migrants all over the world Thank you Madam Chair Thank you very much Ambassador and I now give the floor to Belgium Madam Chair first of all I'd like to thank the Director-General and his teams for the holding of fruitful bilateral consultations in October we had an opportunity to review and evaluate our existing cooperation and look at possibilities for improving it We took the floor last year by highlighting the added value of the IOM in terms of the fight against the pandemic which had affected us all between 2020 and 2021 thanks to its flexibility and rapid reaction capacity IOM and all of its staff were able to be an essential link in the joint response to the healthcare crisis we all faced just when the world was coming out of this challenge the war of the unprovoked aggression which is unjustified and unjustifiable by Russia in Ukraine put once more humanitarian capacities at serious under serious pressure this aggressive war against Ukraine has put on the road millions of people and provoked an unprecedented movement of refugees and internally displaced people at the doors of the European Union these effects are not only felt in Ukraine and its direct neighbors but also through food security issues far beyond this in countries that are already hard hit by climate change once more the IOM and its flexibility and rapid reaction abilities meant that it was able to play a determining role we'd like to thank the IOM for its activities under the flash appeal and we're very happy to have been able to contribute 3 million euros the war in Ukraine is only increasing global instability that we already know and it's necessary that we develop a multitude of tools to limit its effects the recent visit of our prime minister to Ukraine and the announce of further support to the work carried out by the IOM in the field for Ukrainians shows our full support and our confidence in the work of our organization and that even more importantly because winter is at the door so my delegation would like to thank and congratulate the IOM for its multifaceted approach to ensure the security and well-being of migrant population through its action and its support both in countries of origin in countries of transit and destination the many projects put into place by our organization contribute actively to strengthen the triple nexus by achieving the sustainable development goals as well as making clear the mutual benefits of safe orderly and regular migration in its role as a coordinator of the United Nations network of migration IOM has an important influence on the implementation of the global compact for safe orderly and regular migration and therefore Belgium thanks the IOM for the leadership that it has developed and welcomes the adoption of the declaration of progress at the international migration review forum in May Belgium fully subscribed to the work of this forum and is proud to have participated with a large delegation reflecting the guiding principles of the compact and showing the value that we give to this reference document Madam Chair Director General in order to fulfill its various missions it's necessary that our organization have available the structural and financial means that are suitable therefore my delegation highlights the importance for member states of ensuring that in a timely manner they provide their assessed contributions and calls on all states to act accordingly it's essential for my delegation that the financial model of our organization is sustainable Belgium thanks each state for the efforts made collectively which have allowed us to achieve a consensus solution in the budgetary room reform at the 30th meeting of the SCPF we also welcome the leadership and the significant work carried out by the high level management of the IOM its bureau and in particular Costa Rica this helped us reach the necessary consensus this consensus is nevertheless not a panacea we still have to find solutions that allow us to fill the financial gap which is quite significant in order to allow the IOM to have the necessary resources to accomplish its missions therefore Belgium calls once more for an increase of non earmarked funds for the budget of our organization my delegation repeats its call on member states to contribute to the essential structures of the IOM just as the Belgium does with one million euros a year and to conclude Belgium is happy to take an active park within Mopan as a co-institutional lead in the exercise along with Canada and the Netherlands the previous evaluation was one of the main sources of identification of the reforms that were undertaken by the IOM and we are convinced that this new version of the Mopan will be an opportunity to continue with our joint efforts to improve our organization thank you very much and I now have the honor to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi Madam Chairperson before I make our national statement I'm compelled to convey on behalf of the Malawi government our deepest condolences to the government and people of China for the loss of their former President Jiang Zemin Chairperson on behalf of Malawi I would like to convey our congratulations to his Excellency Ambassador Lanzana Gevery in his election as Chairperson of the Bureau we appreciate the oversight and leadership of the outgoing Chairperson over the course of our previous deliberations we are grateful also for the dedication of the Director General and the commitment of the entire IOM leadership I take this opportunity to renew our support in total alignment with the statement made by Nigeria on behalf of the African Union the government of Malawi wishes to highlight acknowledge and appreciate the recent positive budget adjustments that ultimately benefit the ongoing projects worldwide and particularly in Malawi Malawi supports the IOM's newly engraved focus on the effects of climate change on migration Malawi has most recently lost 30% of its electricity due to hydropower station damages caused by this year's tropical storm Anna this is but one of many examples of the effects of climate change on the world economies the lack of sufficient renewable energies results in further degradation of the environment leading to further displacements in Malawi Southern Region specifically along the lower Shere River floods often result in internal migration and the disruption of national food security Malawi subscribes to the Paris Agreement and the recent resolutions of COP 27 allow me to take this opportunity to thank our host member state Switzerland for being one of the first to implement carbon offsetting deals Malawi is grateful to have benefited from such a deal signed at the COP 27 Malawi would like to commend all member states here present for the collective efforts made to mitigate world migration challenges I thank you thank you very much and I now invite the director general to his comments thank you so much madame chair thank Tunisia for drawing our attention to several issues on managing migration including how important it is for us to have data so that we can analyze these data this is vital for us to be able to ensure that we have adequate migratory policies and strategies we would like to underline that we are available to cooperate with the Tunisian government in defining a migratory policy that is based on the sustainable development goals as well as the global compact for migration for safe orderly and regular migration as regards the statement with my Mexico we would like to underscore how important it is to have multilateral cooperation in migration because there is no country that can act alone no country alone can rise to the challenges presented by these increasing migratory flows and that is why we as the IOM would like to welcome the leadership shown by Mexico in the working group on labor mobility within the framework of the Los Angeles declaration on migration and protection and we will continue to be available to work with and support Mexico in its work in the working group and it has to be said that this year Mexico has also witnessed record levels it has now become a country not only of transit but also a country of destination and this also creates challenges regarding how to manage these migratory flows at the IOM and Mexico continue working closely with the government of Mexico as well as working with local authorities in the country so that we can manage the migrants that are passing through the country as well as coming to the country focusing on respecting their human rights and providing support to them I would like to emphasize the critical role that the Philippines has played both in the implementation of the global compact but also in supporting and engaging in the steering committee of the multi-partner trust fund on migration and in supporting the adoption of the progress declaration in the framework of the international migration the review form and more recently the Philippines is a key player in the assessment of the impacts of climate change in human mobility the Philippines is particularly has been particularly eaten by natural disasters IOM has been always in the front line in supporting the Philippine authorities in coping with the impacts of those natural disasters as well as in supporting and making the case for the protection of the Philippines that work abroad As regards Belgium I would like to also welcome the bilateral consultations that we had this year in Brussels which meant that I personally was able to go there to understand the very close corporation between the Fed are still at the IOM as well as teams managing migratory flows in Belgium we also would like to welcome the flexibility that has been shown by Belgium regarding financing particularly regarding responding to the Ukraine crisis and we hope that we will be able to increase our corporation in implementing the global compact as well as developing humanitarian actions by the IOM Mr concerning Malawi I want to express my thanks for the leadership of Malawi in the migration dialogue for southern Africa amidst 2022 that adopted a very important resolution that paved the way also for a ministerial statement at the Sadek 11 linking migration and climate change I think that we can always be rewarded by that effort by the decisions taken by COP 27 and you can go on counting on us with supporting to build capacity for disaster risk reduction policies and action plans including early warning systems being Malawi one of the countries that have been more seriously eat by natural disasters last year thank you so much Madam Chair Thank you very much and thank you all delegations for your statements in this morning and I inform you that we will resume this general debate in the afternoon at 3 p.m and we will now after a very short technical break move on to agenda item 13 which is the panel discussion with a presentation on the launch of the essentials of migration management 2.0 see you in a minute I'm gonna go oh I didn't get the memo I definitely Excellencies distinguished guests colleagues friends it's my great pleasure to chair the next session on IOM's flagship training program on migration management the essentials of migration management or simply EMM 2.0 and since it is my first time of addressing the council I will also use the opportunity as other speakers have done to congratulate the incoming chairperson of the council to also appreciate the exemplary work of the outgoing chairperson to also welcome and congratulate the newest member of the IOM family government of Barbados and to also express sincere condolences to the government of China on the passing of late chairperson Jiang Jemin and now we have with us a great group of panelists who will share with us their views and experiences and I look forward to our conversation but first let me say a few words to introduce the topic capacity development at IOM is key for effective migration governance and migration management the IMRF and post IMRF pledges which you all made show not only a need for capacity development in countries but also recognition of IOM's role as a crucial actor to capacitate countries in their efforts to develop effective rights-based migration management governance and management I'm pleased to reassure you that IOM's capacity development efforts meet these needs by strengthening the complex framework of laws and partnerships that national and international institutions need to implement on all aspects of migration and as a crucial enabler for countries to reap the benefits of migration while upholding the rights of migrants IOM recently developed a corporate methodology for capacity development the CD4MM capacity development for migration management this guides IOM staff on how to provide comprehensive and systematic capacity development support to government and other migration management stakeholders for better impact increase sustainability and for an integrated rights-based approach to migration management in concrete terms this approach provides a common understanding and language to articulate IOM's work to support member states in strengthening migration management and governance capacity it uses a holistic whole-of-government approach to capacity development it focuses on structural organizational and individual levels in capacity development and is context specific and tailored to the needs of each individual country and program based on needs assessment and impact scenarios and it advances learning oriented capacity development that complements existing structures and practices capacity development is comprehensive in scope and compensing strengthening of organizations the individuals working with them and the systems are wider institutional environment within which they interact it involves a wide range of technical and methodological expertise going well beyond training the EMM 2.0 is a pillar tool that can be employed along with a range of other IOM programs and methods in certain phases of the capacity development process EM 2.0 that we are presenting today is one of the tools that falls under IOM's intensified efforts to advance sustainable capacity development the program provides online resources and training modules for government officials and all other migration stakeholders the EMM 2.0 curriculum offers the most comprehensive catalog on migration management from foundational topics such as international cooperation international migration law and the policy cycle to the specific thematic areas such as migration health youth migration environment and climate change EMM 2.0 is also versatile and can be used to fill specific gaps for example following a migration governance indicators MGI review of a national or local migration system support efforts to develop whole of government and whole of society approaches to migration in the context of a policy development process or as part of wider GCM implementation efforts because of this EMM 2.0 has many uses it can serve as an introduction to relevant staff and audiences to migration and migration management it can also serve as a tool to capacitate government staff with migration governance and governance structures or it can be used very specifically as a springboard for deep dives into relevant thematic areas we have seen very strong uptake by users around the world of the EMM program more than 700 government officials have participated in EMM 2.0 trainings more than 20 countries have already used the EMM 2.0 training to improve their migration management and since May of this year more than 250 users have created an account and begun modules completing on average three to four modules each these figures speak not only of a huge demand but also show the different use modalities can successfully be leveraged to suit stakeholders needs in essence EMM 2.0 is meant to offer guidance for effective migration management while allowing practitioners the freedom to respond intelligently to the challenge at hand the focus throughout is on the search for practical answers and win-win solutions as you will see and hear from our distinguished panelists EMM 2.0 is a perfect tool in IOM's broader capacity development efforts to increase impact and sustainability it's my strong hope that many of you and your colleagues will have an opportunity to experience the tool and institutionalize it in your work so we can all make the most of this tool and improve it through its continued implementation and as I started with we do have a great group of panelists here with us today let me start with Secretary Minister Susan from the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers she will be joining us online from Manila IOM is grateful to the Philippines for organizing an early pilot training on the EMM 2.0 in March 2020 and the valuable feedback of your senior officials has contributed to the finalization of IOM's flagship training and to make it an excellent tool for policymakers I'm also pleased to welcome Ms. Stephanie Liang Director of International Migration Policy from IRCC Canada Canada has been the champion the first EMM and I'm grateful that 14 years later you have trusted us again through seed funding and chairmanship of the group of friends for EMM 2.0 since its inception phase I also introduce to you and wish a warm welcome to Director-General Ambassador Ms. Nerdan Eprolat Altuntas from Turkey's MFA we commend Turkey's contribution to IOM particularly to EMM 2.0 through this accompaniment of senior diplomats who have led the program to where it is now we also thank the Turkish government for organizing the first EMM 2.0 online training reaching out to 400 participants including MFA consular officers and labor attaches working at Turkish missions from around the world I'm also pleased to welcome Mr. Kurasha Shuenin Parliament Specialist from the Sadeq Parliamentary Forum who has been working closely with IOM to ensure the inclusion of migration matters within Parliament's body of work in the region and is here with us to share his experience with the first regional training of EMM for Parliamentarians but just before we go to our panelists I would like to give the floor to our Director of Department of Programme Support and Migration Management Monica Garacci to give you a glimpse of EMM 2.0 Monica you have the floor Thank you DDG fellow panelists distinguished delegates it's really a pleasure for me to introduce to you the IOM flagship program on migration management the EMM 2.0 you have or are about to receive on your desks a small QR code that gets you hopefully to the EMM portal through your your phones or or a tablet so we encourage you to use it as we go through the presentation and we have also a few copies of the catalogue in the room if you want to have a look later on so some of you may remember the original version of the program launched in 2004 bringing together for the first time what were considered the essential elements needed to address migration management in three large paper volumes and since then much has happened on both the international migration governance landscape and the technological and digital fronts which called for a new integrated and modern approach to our flagship program so in 2018 I am started working on a 2.0 version of the EMM in addition to providing targeted resources for specific thematic areas the new program also highlights and facilitates the interactive views of these different thematic contents and helps looking at migration through a whole of government lens the program also leverages cooperation at national regional and global levels while articulating the relevance of international frameworks such as the SDGs and the GCM in the day-to-day work of government officials and other stakeholders involved the EMM 2.0's main program features are the handbook the e-library and the courses and these materials are built on an interactive and easy to navigate e-platform the emm.iom.int by hosting online EMM 2.0 content can be updated regularly and easily to reflect emerging trends in the field so now to the EMM 2.0 handbook this is really the foundation of the program 30 online chapters provide brief and comprehensive overviews of different aspects of migration management the program team engaged IOM thematic experts external research consultants academics and government officials throughout the chapter development and revision process and relevant UN agencies were also invited to provide additional layer of considerations so as to ensure overall synergy with the broader UN system such intensive handbook development and revision process was coupled with further internal vetting all IOM departments all IOM divisions and units were involved in the whole process this way EMM 2.0 strives really to offer a consistent approach to different areas of migration management in one coherent institutional voice the program stable of content is broken down into two parts part one foundations of good migration governance and management provides a general introduction to contemporary migration as a human phenomenon principles social and economic determinants and impacts and the legal, diplomatic and administrative approaches that have been or are being elaborated in response to its emergence as a major issue of concerns at the national, regional and international levels and the second part key areas of migration governance and management covers the main policy challenges faced by governments including long standing ones such as labour migration social cohesion smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons as well as newer ones such as the mobility consequences of climate change then we have the EMM 2.0 e-library which hosts a meticulously selected repository of resources offered by the IOM other UN organizations research institutions and other entities as well as interactive presentation of the IOM glossary access to the e-library resources is open to the public conveniently broken down either perathematic migration area youth migration or migration health for example or by other searchable fields including regional coverage year of publication and language and the e-library is further organized by the type of resources as per the following top five resources key sources of data research and analysis international law initiatives and commitments guidelines and training materials reports and studies the EMM courses can be delivered face to face online or combined in a blended manner this flexibility is particularly pertinent in the current context where participation in person in person events has been really significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic the 18 face-to-face training modules cover different aspects of migration management including a facilitators guide presentation slides learning handouts and more by the end of each face-to-face training participants are expected to feel more empowered and taking action for improving their own migration policies by following the steps in the policymaking cycle the overarching goal is to influence migration policy development and implementation and to promote collaboration within government with other governments and beyond government for instance with private sector civil society and international organizations and in addition to the face-to-face training participants may want to continue their learning journey by enrolling themselves in EMM 2.0 self-paced e-learning courses these courses are entirely free and are available all year long providing immediate knowledge on demand while the EMM 2.0 program was developed for government officials IOM UN staff members the civil society individuals from teaching and research institutions interested in the topic of migration can also partake in its self-paced e-learning modules as of today EMM 2.0 training modules have been successfully implemented in over 20 different countries as the DDG mentioned the last training to place in Indonesia in September as part of a multi-partner trust fund project bringing together UNDP UN Women and IOM all materials are available in English selected training modules and handbook chapters are also available in French in Spanish Turkish Bahaja Indonesia and Arabic and clearly our objective is to make it available in all languages and to this purpose we're continuing our fundraising efforts to be able to conduct role out of EMM 2.0 on a truly global scale in total more than 700 government officials have been trained on the essentials of migration management thanks to the generous contributions from the State Secretariat for Migration Switzerland Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada the US Department of State Bureau for Population Refugees and Migration through the Western Hemisphere Program and from internal funds through the IOM Migration Resource Allocation Committee the MIRAC and the IOM Development Fund the ADF and finally just to conclude from a structural point of view the EMM 2.0 is of course a key component of IOM's institutional capacity development approach that was just mentioned by the Deputy Director-General so to foster greater inter and intra-departmental coordination as part of the structure reform we created a coordination and capacity development unit in the Department for Program Support and Migration Management this unit brings together the EMM 2.0 the capacity development for migration management which is IOM's methodological approach to capacity development and the ACBC the African Capacity Building Center located in Moshi these are the three units that for the moment compose the CCDU the aim is to offer strategic methodological guidance and advisory support to IOM capacity development efforts across thematic areas and organizational levels so that all initiatives on the ground embed capacity development components and we would like to thank the governments of Denmark for supporting us with this work so we look forward to the panel to the interventions and to the discussion and the team and I stand ready to further discuss in the weeks to come thank you very much thank you very much Monica and without further ado I'm very pleased to call on Secretary Susan Opley from the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Opley you have the floor thank you Madam Chair IOMPTG and to all the IOM officials and let me also greet all your excellencies distinguished guests and the members of the Council Awar Mabuhay from the Philippines I wish I could be there I wish I could join you there but so much needs to be done here at home but please allow me to also introduce myself I am Secretary Susan Opley of the newly formed Department of Migrant Workers or DMW for short we also let me also start by acknowledging IOM for its launch today of the Fair and Ethical Recruitment Jew Diligence Toolkit here in Manila, Philippines so we are really very proud of the work of the IOM here in the Philippines and across the world you know we have more than 40 years of experience in migration governance in the Philippines at present we have around 10.5 million migrants 10 percent of our population is outside the country with around 4.22 million of them working as temporary migrants the protection and promotion of the welfare of overseas Filipino workers or OFWs as we call them is mainstreamed in our governance framework although our new department is in its infancy the law creating this department will have its first anniversary on December 27th this year and our first ever national budget will be approved also within the month of December so you can see we are that new but migration governance has been in place in the Philippines since the 70s early 70s so our commitment to upholding the rights and welfare of our overseas workers is timeless and has been a constant theme across all presidential administrations as secretary of the DMW I have every intention to uphold this commitment and put it in action on different and several levels to ensure compliance with the 23 objectives of the UN Global Compact on Migration the Philippines being one of its global champions now we go to the EMM 2.0 which I would describe as the sweet night of migration management and governance information and education I am an active user of the EMM and I'm quite familiar with some of its features so again let me thank the IOM and all the contributors for this vastly useful and relevant information tool the Philippines has supported the EMM since its inception through training programs with our top officials it is aligned with the whole nation approach that our country continues to adhere to when it comes to migration and migration governance EMM 2.0 builds on past experiences and past knowledge and information by providing stakeholders with the tools for evidence-based policy making I appreciate many of its features since the pandemic I have been into e-learning and so having this as a digital learning tool is so useful and efficient especially as a secretary when I have so many things to do and so many more to learn it is where relevant government agencies can download which I have done the world migration report 2022 which has an entire chapter chapter 9 devoted to migration and the slow onset of the impacts of climate change I appreciate and if you can enter EMM 2.0 you can read the testimonies of migrants on the multi-causal nature of climate migration I know this very well I first hand experience with this because in my own hometown in Bulacan which is along the coast of Manila Bay I see with my own eyes how labor migration and climate change have convergence of sorts because most of our workers are being driven by the lack of jobs and economic opportunities cost by constant floodings in my own hometown even if there's no storm or typhoon our hometown is flooded even with the usual high tide occurrences I also appreciate the course on trafficking in persons which features the four piece prevention of human trafficking protection of victims prosecution of perpetrators and partnerships if I may add or if there's room for any suggestion I would hope that there can be more testimonials and perhaps more information on online or on human trafficking via social media platforms which we are now experiencing here in the Philippines also if there can be more information about how to work together as member states following the principle of shared responsibility when it comes to third country illegal recruitment and human trafficking another suggestion that I wish to offer would be an inclusion on the impact of pandemics on migrants and on migration governance for example a recent IOM survey conducted here in the Philippines with more than 8,000 respondents our returning OFWs affected by COVID-19 showed that wage theft arose and was deeply felt and deeply experienced by our overseas workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and this also was more felt by the women migrant workers so gender issues also come into play I hope that there can also be a chapter to be included under communicating migration in crisis situation perhaps a chapter on crisis management when it comes to any pandemic of sorts I recall how confusing it was when COVID-19 hit an international cruise ship I hope you still remember that and we were all confused we had some seafarers Filipino seafarers aboard that ship and there was much confusion as to who was in charge who was to be held accountable who should be carrying that just for the passengers but also for the crew that had to keep working in order to make these passengers comfortable at great risk to the lives of these seafarers the good news is that we already have this Swiss knife available for all of us for all of us who are students for pet world students of migration in any shape for and for we merely have to do our share as co-authors as contributors in keeping EMM 2.0 constantly updated this is a role that all of us can play as stakeholders as keen observers of how the world moves and how people mobility takes place I look forward to more chapters and courses and knowledge products and enhancements within and across EMM 2.0 we live in an ever-changing world global recession is looming we have an aging population we have wars even undeclared wars trade wars cyber wars all kinds of conflicts going on and yet we need to rely on each other in order to understand its ever-changing world better and so my dear friends our education is for life so thank you and congratulations once again to the IOM the leadership of the IOM its entire staff for giving us this remarkable EMM 2.0 platform thank you thank you very much excellency for your remarks we've taken very good notes of your recommendations and also very pleased to hear that you see the value of EMM 2.0 in the context of a Swiss a Swiss Army knife which gives many many different tools for different uses that can be applied as best suited in a particular country context thank you very much and now we move on to our second panelist and I have the pleasure of introducing the director of international migration policy Miss Stephanie Leung immigration refugees and citizenship Canada Miss Leung you have the floor thank you the EG Daniels I'm very happy to participate in today's discussion discussion to support the essentials of migration management migrants are talented and qualified and they enrich societies they contribute to economic growth and according to Canada's experience the advantages of migration which is well managed have never been so clear or significant it's not by chance but by choice that we host an ever growing number of migrants in 2021 we received more than 405,000 new arrivals the largest number we've registered in a single year for 2022 we've increased our goal to 431,000 forthcoming plan on migration levels we will continue to add and increase our goals to reach 500,000 by 2025 these figures add to the hundreds of thousands of temporary workers and international students and others who come temporarily to Canada regular pathways to Canada and settlement services where policy makers partners operation teams settlement service providers and other enablers including IT experts in digitalization work together to move policy into implementation each applying their expertise the IOM is an important partner for Canada in the delivery of migration and resettlement services capacity building activities and humanitarian assistance stabilization activities and for longer term developments investments Canada values the IOM's responses to the needs of the most vulnerable Canada also commends the IOM for its work dedicated to putting into action the principle of safe and orderly and regular migration benefits countries of origin transit and destination and of course migrants themselves strengthening migration systems is a key objective of Canada's approach to international capacity building as it ensures that states and stakeholders have the appropriate information and resources needed to advance migration governance Canada has been involved with EMM since its inception including during the design of the original version we provided seed funding for its developments the testing of the various modules and some of EMM's 2.0's early work EMM 2.0 is primarily a tool to support capacity developments in countries to ensure that they can create a policy environment that is rights based and meets their interests and needs as well as international commitments like the international the global compact for migration and the sustainable development goals subsequently we have had the honor of chairing the group of friends which brings together over 20 representatives of Geneva based permanent missions to initiate informal discussions including suggestions just like you've heard to ensure that EMM is 2.0 is designed in a way that is fit for purpose and relevant to member states we are pleased to see how far the island has advanced this work EMM 2.0 builds on a holistic understanding of migration management and governance it sets out in clear language the building blocks of migration policy making in an informed and coherent manner I will also take the example of labor mobility just like the secretary from the Philippines EMM 2.0 gives a snapshot of the variety of ways that labor migration takes place now and a sense of current trends if your QR code worked you could see it on your mobile phone and you can actually type in labor mobility and follow along it has links to key sub themes like ethical recruitment and migrant worker protection rights then EMM 2.0 also has a section built in on interlinkages pointing to health-related considerations COVID-19 and of course labor mobility and climate change so that it moves beyond the fundamentals and I find that very exciting and you can also layer on other considerations that are of hot topics these days including gender responsive migration policy making or specific considerations regarding youth then it gets into the cross-cutting themes of course reminiscence of the GCM and this information is all accessible online right now and at a glance quite literally and if such a snapshot can give and put this knowledge at your fingertips then consider what EMM 2.0 courses training library resources can do all to strengthen migration literacy for policy makers for those delivering programs for partners non-state actors and really to enrich those engagements and our dialogues in terms of reach and accessibility EMM 2.0 has the benefit of being hosted online accessible again by mobile phone tablets or other devices and really such flexibility is expected and particularly relevant since the pandemic and experiences that we've had where we should and we can leverage online tools where they are needed and when they are needed and being online online has the additional benefits of being able to be regularly updated to reflect emerging trends in the timely and proactive way yet of course we know that one size does not fit all and before delivering training EMM 2.0 also works together with countries and regional offices to ensure that materials are contextualized and of course training materials are most effective when they're designed and communicated in ways that keep their audience in mind and EMM 2.0 follows this principle another element of effective knowledge materials is having the support of the community itself the community that benefits from this work and can apply the training in concrete ways Canada has been pleased to host a number of meetings of the group of friends which has been established in 2019 to make sure that EMM 2.0 is designed in ways that are impactful sustainable and relevant to member states the group has gathered to provide feedback and suggestions on program design including focus discussions on the self-paced e-learning modules and on hands-on user tests of the platform we have offered suggestions to enhance the navigation of the websites which has been incorporated in the final design Canada recognizes that the group remains keen to grow the uptake of this training all the resources online and of course to have more users we want to increase that number that Dili Jean Daniels mentioned in the beginning more than 200 users logging in for those member states who have used EMM 2.0 on this training I invite you to reflect on your experiences and on how we can work together to make it more widely used and of course applicable to your immediate needs and future needs we also encourage member states who are not as familiar to take a closer look online and consider how this training and the resources can help strengthen capacity within your own systems Finally, I would like to thank the IOM for its global leadership on capacity development related to migration management and for all its efforts in developing this flagship training program I would also like to reiterate Canada's support for EMM 2.0 Canada is committed to sharing this resource with others both within and outside Canada and we will continue to point to it as a comprehensive and user-friendly platform for learning and training on migration management I'm a huge proponent of training and learning and this really speaks to this learning-oriented approach to strengthening migration management We should ensure that EMM 2.0 is actively used to inform policymakers raise public awareness and dispel any anti-migration narratives through evidence and fact-based information Thank you so much Thank you very much Ms. Long for your remarks and for showing how EMM 2.0 can be contextualized Thank you also for the unwavering support of the Government of Canada and in IOM we often talk about journeys and you've been with us on this journey from inception until now So thank you very much And now it is my pleasure to introduce our third speaker Director-General Ambassador Ms. Nurdan Erprolat Al-Tuntas from Turkey's MFA Ambassador, you have the floor Ms. Deputy Director-General Panelist here and also the Plippines and we are online Excellencies colleagues listening to us here here and also via online link But it's a great pleasure for me to be here today and speak about Turkey's support to IOM Flagship Training Program on Migration Management And I wish to thank IOM for having me as a panelist here Well, we have a long-standing and very fruitful relationship with IOM for more than three decades In fact, IOM Turkey is one of the biggest country missions of IOM I think it's the second As a country hosting the highest number of refugees since 2014 we always attach importance and rely on the close cooperation with U.M. bodies Indeed, Turkey has a long history of history and experience as a crossroad for migration and we are proud to be a leader country in providing opportunities for refugees and migrants to live better lives We also have another side of the experience as an origin country with millions of our citizens living in Western Europe contributing both to their country of residence and to Turkey as well As the U.N. Secretary-General has stated making migration work for all means we need good partnership to ensure safe orderly and regular migration Given the complex and cross-border nature of migration international cooperation and solidarity are indispensable in finding political solutions to common challenges In this regard Turkey has a belt of experience to share with the international community and I am together with UNHCR is they are particularly important in this sense and we have extended our full support to the GCM and UN network on migration since its inception We also commend DGB Torino for his role as coordinator and we are looking forward to strengthen our cooperation champion country Today make migration work for all is a challenging but urgent task I should say Partnerships and capacity development are crucially important We believe that IAM's Essentials of Migration Management Program that's a comprehensive informative and insightful tool provides us with an important opportunity to further our efforts It touches upon every aspect of migration from all perspectives and we believe that establishing strong synergies between EMM 2.0 and UN network on migration would be extremely valuable The program has filled an important gap on providing fundamental knowledge on migration management EMM 2.0 does not seek to prescribe one size fits all It's been said actually even before which is exactly why we praise this tool It offers guidance based on good practices that have been found to be broadly helpful over time with the whole of government and whole of society approaches And I am happy to underline that Turkey has contributed to the development of this unique training program since its inception We have been seconding senior Turkish diplomats to the IAM headquarters since 2012 And one of our secondments she also contributed even from the very beginning of this program I would like to thank her as well as Lamkural And all of our secondments we believe that they serve as program manager of EMM 2.0 and they play the key role in the development and implementation of this program And during the pandemic period we also needed a kind of innovative learning method So we used webinars and we organized a blended EMM 2.0 training implementation last year I also participated myself With three cascaded webinars a total of 400 participants from 120 missions of ours in 58 countries including minister of foreign affairs consular officers and also labor attachés from the ministry of labor and social security working at Turkish missions abroad were trained on different aspects of migration management with a particular focus on three models global context of migration labor migration and trafficking in persons These models offer direct linkages to the implementation of Turkey's policies that aim to manage irregular migration via comprehensive human rights and evidence-based and effective policies as well as to mitigate the negative impacts Additionally, the models were contextualized with the national data as well as programs and strategies and participants were able to attend with their own paces They were provided with self-paced learning materials that were complimented by facilitated online webinar This way, we have been able to reach out all our consular staff and labor attachés around the world with a whole of government approach This training has served as a refresher for all of us and a platform to answer their practical questions about migration issues they are facing during their day-to-day work I'm pleased to stress that we received strong positive feedbacks I think I am also actually you did 95% of participants expressed their satisfaction and they found the content relevant to their work Comprehensive and detailed presentations were made reliable and extensive data on migration the competency of experts not only mine but others especially delivering the training were among the most liked dimensions highlighted by our trainees and the participants were also saying that they would like to have more they would like to have willing they are willing to receive additional training on migration management I once again thank I am for having enabled such a useful, convenient tool and we are pleased that Turkey has also contributed to this from the very beginning and we would like to be happy to cooperate further in organizing similar events and since I'm here let me also briefly touch upon our efforts and policies in migration management area I would like to first demonstrate the size of irregular migration pressure Turkey has been facing I have already mentioned that we have the highest number of refugees since 2014 it is 3.74 million people and also every year we apprehend new irregular migrants for example in the first nine months of this year we apprehended 240,000 irregular migrants and to give an idea according to the front-end data the number of irregular migrants apprehended at or within EU borders it's 288,000 so it's almost the same the irregular migration pressure faced by Turkey is almost comparable to the entire EU's pressure this requires enormous effort I should say and resources by the whole government Turkey has initiated a comprehensive legislation an organizational effort in the field of migration management and we enacted a new law on foreigners and international protection and we would like to reiterate our gratitude to IEM because they also helped us they contributed to the development process of this law we established a migration board comprising all relevant ministries and institutions and we also finalized our national migration strategy this strategy prioritizes effective management of regular migration successful combat against irregular migration effective international protection fight against human trafficking and strong institutional capacity we developed strategy documents and action plans on irregular migration human trafficking and integrated border management the plans are reviewed by regular meetings with the participation of all relevant government bodies in line with our migration strategy we undertook an enormous capacity building effort within the relevant agencies such as presidency of migration management as well as the law enforcement agencies we also carried a comprehensive review of our visa policies since 2013 we enacted a visa system to facilitate business and tourism visas for eligible travelers we have also been installing biometric data collection equipment in our missions we currently collect biometric data in our 58 countries well it is very important to ensure effective communication and coordination among all relevant government bodies with a whole of government approach and also it is important to share the best practices among states and we strongly believe it's essential in enhancing bilateral regional and international cooperation so I'm pleased to highlight the role of IAM here finally addressing the drivers of migration are also very important and it is also to give the opportunity for irregular migrants or refugees to go back their home countries of course under desired conditions so we managed we are also having works on that in northern Syria we complemented 79,000 precouses and 434 534,000 people voluntarily returned now so it was a pleasure for me to attend this panel and I would like to reiterate our commitment to strengthen international cooperation with a view to better managing migration and protecting human lives thank you thank you very much ambassador for the remarks and sharing another example of how you have contextualized contextualized EMM 2.0 in your in your context to support national policy implementation for all your missions worldwide and also let me express our deep appreciation for the for this accompaniment and and the strong the strong partnership and now last but not least I'm pleased to welcome again Mr. Kourasha Shuneni parliamentary specialist from the SADIC parliamentary forum Mr. Kourasha you have the floor thank you very much chair I always start presentation by putting a disclaimer I work for a parliamentary institution and the head of our institution is called the speaker and we therefore tend to like speaking and every time moderators will have tough time making sure that we stay within time I will try hard I wish to recognize the IOM director general the deputy director general I also wish to recognize my fellow panelists Excellencies and colleagues I bring greetings from the southern african development community parliamentary forum SADIC parliamentary forum which is the apex inter-parliamentary organization in the SADIC region made up of 15 of the 16 national parliaments of SADIC member states I tend to sincere apologies on behalf of the sector general Excellents Boyomo Sehoma who would have wanted to grace the meeting but could not do so due to other work commitments the SADIC parliamentary forum places on record its appreciation to the keteus invitation extended to it by the IOM to participate and make a presentation at this very august event regarding the SADIC PFs collaboration with IOM on strengthening the role of parliament in migration governance through its regional office for southern Africa am elated to be speaking about the collaboration which is largely centered on building the capacity of parliamentarians to integrate and mainstream issues of migration governance through the rollout of the IOM's key capacity development to the essentials of migration management or EMM 2.0 I was privileged to be amongst the first court of parliamentarians and staff drawn from across SADIC national parliaments who participated in EMM 2.0 regional training for parliamentarians in southern Africa the participants were drawn from Botswana, Lisuto, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe and was made possible the training was made possible through funding from the IOM Development Fund and the US Department of State Bureau of Population Refuges and Migration Director General and Distinguished Delegates we found the EMM 2.0 useful to the work of parliamentarians for three reasons Firstly, the training curriculum places emphasis on police making and key drivers of migration and the relationship with migration governance we liked especially the step-by-step approach to the process of developing and the implementation of ineffective migration police and the evaluation thereof Secondly, the EMM 2.0 offers a comprehensive catalog of training modules on different migration issues such as international migration law human rights of migrants gender trafficking in persons border management and sustainable development these are cross-cutting issues we deal with in our other areas of work we cherished the fact that the EMM 2.0 team developed a tailor-made training based on a baseline survey among parliamentarians and finally parliamentarians appreciated the interactive nature of the training which allowed for experience sharing and consensus building regarding migration management issues among MPs we have since developed a community of practice cadres of the training and MPs continue to exchange information on an ongoing basis our exposure to issues of migration governance through the training immediately confirmed the relevance of parliaments in the SADAC region and perhaps globally in supporting regular orderly and safe migration as a result of the SADAC PF has been working closely with the IOM regional office for southern Africa to ensure integration of migration agenda in parliament's program of work parliaments in countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lisuto, Namibia and Botswana are at different stages of rolling out the training to members of relevant parliamentary committees and staff Director General and distinguished delegates I wish to briefly highlight what we have identified as the pillars that are opportunities which parliaments offer through their functions which the partnership with IOM should capitalize to contribute to effective migration management the first is strengthening the legal framework for regular orderly and safe migration through its primary role of lawmaking parliament is a key in ensuring the existence of a legal framework that guarantees regular orderly and safe migration where there are legislative gaps parliaments in most jurisdictions in southern Africa are empowered to review existing legislation and align it with regional and international normative frameworks this also dovetails with the role of parliament in ratifying regional and international instruments to facilitate their domestication there is also an opportunity through the oversight function while traditionally the executive and judiciary branches have dominated the issues of migration governance with parliaments playing a less prominent role the reality is that parliament through its oversight role can ensure accountability in migration management including dealing with emerging issues such as climate change adaptation parliaments in the SADAC region incrementally becoming proactive in influencing public police design and implementation and outcomes this has presented an opportunity for SADAC PF to ensure deliberate integration and mainstreaming of migration governance issues in its work plans and those of SADAC national parliaments thanks to the capacity building offered through the EMM 2.0 training there is also a component of enhancing civic participation generally international law is the law of nations and unless if there is deliberate effort to involve citizens they will remain sidelined for regular orderly and safe migration to be realized there is need for migration police making processes to be inclusive especially by involving women and children parliamentarians provide the critical link between citizens and regional and international normative and police frameworks for migration management another important pillar is ensuring protection of rights of migrants especially women and children with population movements across borders increasing in the southern african region the protection of rights of migrants especially women and children require regional cooperation no single government can expect to reap migration benefits or address its challenges alone the SADAC PF experience already provides proves that national and regional parliaments can use their convenient power to promote collaboration by member states and non-state actors to address transboundary migration challenges that often trigger rights violations for migrants and to find new creative and effective solutions to the challenges another key aspect budget allocation effective implementation of migration governance policies requires appropriation of adequate funds to the relevant government agencies mandated to end all these matters when parliamentarians are capacitated and are knowledgeable about the critical importance of effective migration management they are more likely to support pro-migration budgetary allocations SADA national parliaments that have rolled out essentials of migration management training for relevant committees have started to witness MPs being supportive of pro-migration policies including through budgetary allocations the last aspect is making democrats work making democracy and governance work perhaps the most critical aspect in terms of parliament's contribution towards migration governance lies in parliaments intrinsic role in supporting democracy and ensuring an effective accountable governance for safe order in regular migration to exist and be sustained relevant state institutions must be able to effectively perform their roles and do this in an accountable manner the reality is that even if a country is getting its migration governance policies right 40 governance often nullifies the impact I wish to make a few recommendations in view of the above I wish to make the following recommendations to the IOM council to consider for purposes of leveraging EMM 2.0 in enhancing parliament's role supporting effective migration governance based on SADAC PF so experience through its collaboration with the regional office for southern Africa the IOM regional office for southern Africa the first one sustain the capacity building of relevant committees and staff of national parliaments the regional EMM 2.0 training for SADAC parliamentarians and parliamentary staff which was held in May-June this year was a crucial first step however there is need to sustain the momentum by targeting the relevant committees and staff of parliaments who are the institutional memory when individual members tenure come to an end the training is critical in empowering MPs and staff with increased knowledge on the ways to address dynamic migration challenges and to maximize impact of migration as an engine for economic and social development in the SADAC region the EMM 2.0 remains valuable to at the disposal of parliaments in their training of MPs and staff the training of trainers is also an important strategy that was buttressed in localizing capacity and ensuring sustainability the other recommendation relates to deliberately integrating parliaments in migration governance processes by virtue of their constitutional mandate in lawmaking executive oversight representation and budget parliaments are too critical a player to be left as an ad hoc to be left for ad hoc engagement without involving parliaments it is a daunting task often to have robust comprehensive and harmonized legal frameworks for migration governance equally without the involvement of parliaments it is difficult to ensure adequate domestic funding ensure effective monitoring of the implementation progress and guaranteeing genuine and meaningful public participation we also need to leverage on parliaments' role to narrow the implementation gap there are also opportunities for parliaments to engage parliaments to ensure benchmarking and experience sharing the rights protection of rights through protecting democracy and accountability by parliaments in conclusion director general and distinguished delegates I wish to reiterate that through sustained collaborative efforts and advocates in addition to improve the knowledge on migration frameworks SADAC-PF and national parliaments are committed to advocate for the ratification and domestication of key migration related international instruments and protocols with a multi-stakehold approach our ultimate objective is to make the SADAC region a place where there is a coherent rights-based and gender-responsive approach to strengthening migration governance we look forward to continued collaboration with the IOM in this regard I thank you thank you very much Mr. Kourasha for your remarks and for sharing the parliamentary approach as well as the legislative action that the training on EMM 2.0 enabled for participants in the SADAC region and we've also taken note of the recommendations thank you very much and our the honorable secretary from the Philippines has had to leave so I'll just use this opportunity very quickly to say thank you to her and now we have we're on the clock we're meant to close by 1 pm but we have two statements from the floor the delegate from Switzerland and the delegate from Mexico so if I can ask the speakers to please keep their remarks to three minutes each so that we're only taking one minute out of your out of your lunch and with that the formal panelists it's over and now I will give the floor to the delegate from Switzerland thank you DG Daniels I would just like to take the opportunity to congratulate the EMM team for their great work and commitment we are very proud and happy to support not only the development of the EMM 2.0 and its test phases but also the translation to French we consider the EMM an important tool or as it has been called today and we want to pose Swiss Army Knife contributing to migration management its scope goes beyond generating skills and knowledge it brings people together as we could see during the face-to-face pilot trainings in Somalia and Ethiopia for example we invite member states to try the modules and trainings to get a good idea of how it works and consider contributing to its translation into more languages so more migration officials can be reached thank you thank you very much for your remarks and also for the continued support of the government of Switzerland to EMM 2.0 and also special thanks for keeping it below three minutes and now I hand over to the delegate of the government of Mexico you have the floor gracias thank you very much Deputy Director General I'll be very brief I would like to thank you for organizing this panel this is very important for Mexico so that we can give visibility to this valuable tool which has been said by the speakers and it looks at the national and regional capacities so for us to rise to the challenges as well as to take advantage of the benefits of migration it is particularly relevant now that we as states find ourselves making efforts to implement the global combat for migration in an accelerated manner we have different tools whether they are hybrid or digital tools and we use them to disseminate the benefits of these four decision makers and those that carry out these decisions we believe that this is an effort that mutually reinforces the global compact and as we have been saying in the group of friends for the initiative we would like to thank the efforts that have been made by Canada we believe that it is very important for countries to be proactively involved particularly those in Latin America and the Caribbean and we would like to welcome the increasing presence of countries in the Caribbean for example including now a Barbados because we are ever more present Latin America has a particular migratory panorama and there is a benefit to using this tool we would like to ensure that the contents of the courses and the other elements that are contained in the EMM 2.0 are also available in Spanish thank you thank you very much delegate from the government of Mexico and also for keeping within keeping it less than three minutes but more importantly and as you rightly mentioned much appreciation to the group of friends and for all of the governments who have supported EMM to this stage and for their sustained commitment let me use this opportunity to ask you to join me in appreciating our very distinguished panelists who have really shared with us a diverse panorama of how they have applied EMM in their specific context and also to well I don't think I have the authority to gavel but for me to to also say that the session is closed and that you we start again at 3 p.m. so I wish you all bon appetit and once again thank you to our distinguished panelists