 Good morning everybody. Please take your seats. We're about to start this meeting. So Excellencies dear delegates a very warm welcome from my side to today's meeting. I'm very pleased to see many of you here in the room and in case you wonder why it's me who's chairing in the absence of the elected chairperson and for the purpose of facilitating the election of the new chairperson I will be proceeding over the meeting instead of the first vice-chairperson. So I do not see any objections to that and that's why it is my pleasure to declare the 113th session of the IOM Council open and welcome all participants to this meeting. I am pleased to confirm that in line with the practices of other United Nations system organizations all credentials are in order and suggest that the Council take note of this. I'll move to agenda item two the report of the chairperson of the Council and under this agenda item I would like to give the floor to the representative of Mexico who will present a brief report. Excellency you have the floor. Thank you very much madam chairperson it is my honor to give you an overview of the following report as the outgoing chairperson of the IOM Ambassador Francesca Mendes Oscar who who was representative of Mexico in Geneva who due to other commitments in Mexico she cannot be with us here today Director-General Deputy Director-General's distinguished delegates I'd like to begin by conveying gratitude to all member states for the trust placed in me as chair of the IOM at the 112th session of the Standing Committee of Programme of Finance also like to convey my sincere gratitude to my predecessor ambassador Catalina de Bandas permanent representative of Costa Rica for his leadership and all efforts undertaken in order to reach agreement on the budgetary reform which was adopted by member states in June last year allow me now to give an update of the work of the Council and the main achievements undertaken in the last year as you know in the framework of the budgetary reform in the first half of the year there were intense negotiations underway to strengthen the base budget of the organization the reform undertaken and agreed by the member states on resolution on the Standing Committee of Programme of Finance was adopted in 28th of June last year guaranteed a more sustainable and flexible funding for the organization with the view to that the IOM is able to respond to the needs of its member states and of the migrants throughout the world resolution 31 is testimony to the relevance and the value of the work of the IOM in the world is facing with a number of challenges and the challenges seen by the COVID-19 and the multiple challenges of climate change in 2022 the first international migrant review forum took place and where member states and other stakeholders met in order to discuss all the achievements undertaken and the implementation of the global compact for safe orderly and regular migration and to do identify areas which require further attention these discussions came from from redemption by consensus the creation of from the forum putting out a roadmap for the next few years more over during the recent COP 27 the UN conference on climate change there was a an unprecedented acknowledgement of the existing ties between climate change and human mobility which confirms once again the importance of activities that the IOM is undertaking in this domain in supporting its member states I'd also like to convey my gratitude to my colleagues the ambassadors of the Bureau for their commitment and all their contributions to the work of our organization also I'd like to thank the director general and all of his team in particular to the secretariat for their support to the Bureau it would be remiss of me if I were not to say to convey to the incoming chairperson of this council to wish you every success with your upcoming appointment to work ahead thank you thank you very much and I understand that did you would like to make a few comments to this did you have the floor thank you so much madam chair and good morning to all of you I would just like very briefly to express my thanks to the previous chair of the council ambassador Catalina Devandas for her leadership during the last year and for her critical role as well as all the other members of the Bureau in the successful achievement of the budget reform I want to join ambassador Francis commandes Escobar for thanking ambassador Catalina but I think it is also important to share my thanks to Francis commandes Escobar that could not be today with us for a totally understandable and personal reasons that I very much respect but I take the floor just to say that she has been chairing in the counseling this transition period very efficiently and I want to thank the Mexican delegation for the report that has just been presented thank you so much madam chair thank you and with this we will move to agenda item three the status report on outstanding contributions to the administrative part of the budget and member state voting rights I invite the administration to present the document entitled status report on outstanding contributions to the administrative part of the budget and member state voting rights as of 30th September 2022 and this is document number C slash 113 slash 5 ref 1 and any updates since the document was prepared Mr. Joseph Apaya controller and director of the department of resources management you have the floor thank you chair and our good morning distinguished delegates the total outstanding contributions for 2022 and prior years presented in document C slash 113 slash 5 slash ref 1 to the 31st session of the standing committee on programs and finance in November 2022 totaled 31.7 million Swiss francs additional contributions of about 2.3 million have since been received and the total outstanding contributions for 2022 and prior years is now reduced to 29.4 million this is however still higher than the amount of 23.9 million in areas recorded at the same time last year the number of member states subject to article four remains unchanged at 29 of which 17 have lost their voting rights and 12 still maintain their voting rights member states are encouraged to settle our standing assess contributions or to contact the administration to negotiate a flexible repayment plan in a manner most convenient to its situation thank you chair thank you and I now invite the council to comment on this matter in the absence of any comments I recommend that the council take note of and endorse document C slash 113 slash 5 ref 1 and the additional information on payments received that was provided by the administration it is so decided we will now start with the election of offices for the IOM bureau first I invite the council to nominate a candidate for the office of chairperson of the council and I would like to call on Mr Richard Adiola the permanent representative of Nigeria here in Geneva excellency you have the floor chairperson I have the honor to propose his excellency ambassador lansana berry ambassador and permanent representative of the republic of Sierra Leone as chairperson of the IOM answer ambassador berry brings over 20 years experience as an international civil servant and political affairs specialist particularly with the United Nations system proud to his appointment in Geneva his excellency lansana berry served as an expert on west Africa for the United Nations for several years including as political affairs advisor and head of the Liberia country office in the multilateral context he has held several leadership roles including the presidency of the arm's trade treaty ATT as chair of the seventh conference of state parties csp seven the chair of world trade organizations trade related aspect of intellectual property rights trips council a consummate academic and prolific writer he holds a phd in social sciences from view university of Amsterdam the Netherlands ambassador berry served as a rapporteur first and second vice chairperson of the council bureau from 2020 to 2022 I trust that his excellency is an eminently suitable person for the position of chairperson and an important asset to the bureau excellencies I consider ambassador berry to be a highly suitable person for the position of the chairperson the council who will bring his vast experience and outstanding guidance and quality to the bureau and help to further strengthen the role of the council and our collective efforts in the years to come I thank you madame chairperson thank you excellency thank you for this nomination and I will now like to call on mr simon manly his excellency permanent representative of the united kingdom of great britain and northern island excellency you have the floor if you don't thank uh madame chair bondia director general uh it is a honor and a privilege to second the nomination of the candidate of ambassador lansanda gabery ambassador and permanent representative of the republic of sierra leone the united nations office and other international organizations in janeva uh as my dear nigerian colleague has said the ambassador brings an extraordinary expertise and experience to our work as an academic as a journalist as an international civil servant as a diplomat a colleague as chair of the trips council and the wto he is truly a renaissance man of of free town and janeva and i can think of few people better qualified to serve as presidents of this council and it is a genuine honor to second his nomination this morning and i wish him the very best of luck in the job thank you very much thank you for seconding this nomination and greetings to the other end of this huge room and i would now like to call on mr chen du permanent representative of china excellency you have the floor thank you very much madame chair person i'm very much pleased and honored to echo the nomination by african group to second the nomination of ambassador lansanda gabery permanent representative of public of sierra leone as the chair person of the iom council i highly appreciate his important contribution to this organization in the promotion of international migration cooperations especially during his tenure of office as members of the bureau i have the full confidence that under his able guidance and leadership and with the support of us all significant significant progress in all aspects of iom's efforts will be achieved thank you madame chair person thank you excellency and i would now like to ask the council if it wishes to elect his excellency mr lansala berry permanent representative of sierra leone as chairperson of the council i see no objection it is so decided i declare him elected congratulations from my side and i wish you every success and i strongly believe you will be a great chairperson and i would now like to invite our new chairperson ambassador berry to take this place on the podium i think we have a small break because i i see him and the other end of the room don't jump thank you thank you very much that was a bit of a walk not exactly the trump walk down but it was all right thank you so very much thank you ambassador geolab my good brother richard for that nomination i have represented the afghan group in this bureau now for since 2019 and this will be my last kind of inning i mean it's like that all thing they when you reach a certain level you don't go anymore you stop and you get out so thank you very much to the afghan group for the trust that you've bestowed on me for me for the past several years i thank my good friend the ambassador of uk simon for that excellent introduction and ambassador chain thank you very much and you can see this is a real multilateral setting we have a diversity of interest in this presidency thank you so very much thank you now we'll continue with the agenda there's no time to waste so we shall proceed with the election of three members of the bureau um i therefore invite the council uh to proceed with the election of a first vice chairman the position i just um i was just kicked out of uh a second vice chairman and a rapporteur as the position i began with in this bureau uh thank you so um now i'd like to therefore call upon his excellency minister rodrigo donosu director general of consulate affairs immigration and chileans abroad the minister of foreign affairs of chili excellency you have the floor very good morning at the outset i'd like to congratulate you for your appointment and to wish you every success chair it is my honor to propose to your ex-cons ambassador her excellency miss katalina stash the permanent representative of germany as the first vice chairperson of the bureau of the council his excellency mr tayu li permanent representative of the republic of korea as second vice chairperson and his excellency mr louise chuan chukwala permanent representative of peru as rapporteur of the bureau of the council ambassador stash is currently acting as chairperson of the human rights council before becoming a permanent representative of the un in juneva she was chief of cap and chief of staff and head of the minister's office of foreign minister as well as within the ministry of justice and consumer protection his excellency mr lee was vice minister of foreign affairs of the republic of korea from september 2018 to december 2020 he previously served as deputy minister for economic affairs in the ministry of foreign affairs and subsequently as secretary to the president for trade mr his excellency ambassador louise chukwala as permanent representative peru was representative peru to the organization of american states and the eu moreover he was ambassador of peru to belgium luxembourg al salvador belize switzerland and lichtenstein he is currently the permanent representative of peru to the world economic forum the devils forum i am convinced that these candidates are ideal candidates to undertake the roles within this council they will bring to bear their vast experience and their excellent guidance to the bureau this will help to strengthen the role of the council and our collective efforts during this coming year thank you very much thank you thank you excellency thank you for these nominations i will now like to call upon um his excellency mr indram money handy permanent representative of india excellency have the floor good morning and thank you chair on account of an emergency unfortunately he could not be here so i would be doing it on his behalf i have the honor to second the nominations for the council bureau members just made by my distinguished colleague the ambassador permanent representative of paraguay his excellency x more marcello elisio scapini ricardi her excellency ambassador catriona stash permanent representative of germany as the first vice chair of the council bureau his excellency ambassador aio lee permanent representative of korea as the second vice chair of the council bureau his excellency ambassador louis chicara chill permanent representative of peru as raptor of the council bureau his excellency ambassador of chile highlighted some of the professional qualities of these distinguished nominees. I fully agree and I am convinced that they will bring their vast experience to the Bureau and will further strengthen its role and guide our collective efforts. Thank you chair. Thank you very much for seconding the nomination, Excellency. As a council wish to elect the two vice chairpersons and the rapporteur as nominated and seconded, the floor is open. I see no objection, they are so elected. So that concludes item number four. We shall now move on to item number five, which is the adoption of the agenda, the adoption of what we are here for really. Those are just preliminary arrangements. Now I should like to propose that the council adopt the provisional agenda, document C 1131. Are there any comments? The floor is open. In the absence of any proposes to amend the provisional agenda, I declare it adopted. I thank you, sir. In connection with item 12, the general debate, please note that now we are on item five. Please note that the list of speakers has been open since Monday, the 14th of November for delegates to register for the general debate. The list of speakers is now being cast by the meeting's secretariat at the entrance of the conference room, which is to my right. I invite those delegates who have not yet done so, and we should also register by announcing themselves to the secretariat in the room, online using the link provided in the information note for participants, by email to IOMCR at IOM.int. The list will be closed today at the end of this afternoon meeting. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind delegates not to exceed the allocated speaking time, which is five minutes for ministers and for regional groups. Three minutes for members and one and a half minutes for observers. We would like to keep that strictly in view. As much as I would like to be nice, my first day as chair, I will have to enforce it in order not to exceed the time that we have for this conference. It is expected that the general debate will begin tomorrow afternoon. A list of speakers for tomorrow will be shared with delegations at the end of today. To ensure the smooth running of the meeting, I would also like to request that all those taking the floor speak at a reasonable pace to allow accurate interpretation, in particular if delegates are participating online. In all cases, to ensure accurate interpretation, copies of all statements should be submitted in advance by all delegations to the meeting's secretariat before the opening of the relevant morning or afternoon session. Please also note that the full test assessment given to the secretariat will then also be published on the IOM website, unless the meeting's secretariat is advised otherwise. So I'm pleased to announce this program as follows. This morning, we will continue agenda item 6, where the council will take a decision on the admission of one new member state. This will be followed by agenda item 7. Draft report on the 112th session of the council on agenda item 8. Report on matters discussed at the 13th and 31st sessions of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance. This will take us to the end of the morning. This afternoon, as announced, we will resume at 3 p.m., with item 10, the high-level segment. That means we'll have a lunch break, if that's any consolation. Tomorrow, as announced previously in view of the number of speakers registered for the high-level segment, we will continue item 10, starting at 10 a.m. At the end of the high-level segment, we will take up item 9, date and place of the next sessions. Under agenda item 11, the director general will report. Tomorrow in the afternoon, delegations will have the opportunity to respond to the report during the assessments on item 12, the general debate, which will follow item 11. The general debate will start with ministers and then representatives of regional groups. Lastly, I also have the pleasure to remind the council tonight, immediately after the closure of the afternoon meeting, all participants are invited to a reception hosted by the Swiss Federal Council, State Council of the Republic, and Canton of Geneva, and the Executive Council of the City of Geneva. That should be of wide interest. The reception will take place just outside this conference room. Moving on to the next item on the agenda, the mission of new members and observers. I am pleased to inform the council that an application from membership has been received from Barbados, a great island of Barbados, and I invite the council to consider and adopt the draft resolution on the application from membership from Barbados. The floor is open. I see no objection, and in the absence of further comments, I declare the draft resolution as being adopted. Thank you. Barbados is a new member of IAM. So I have the same pleasure now to give the floor to the representative of Barbados to make some remarks about this session. Thank you. The floor is yours, Barbados. Thank you very much, Chairperson, Director General, esteemed delegates. On behalf of the government and people of Barbados, I thank you all for the positive decision taken to admit Barbados to membership of the International Organization for Migration. Barbados is pleased by your action today to become IOM's 175th member, and that this decision comes during the week when Barbados is commemorating its 56th year of independence and its first anniversary as a republic is not lost on us as a country. The IMO is at its heart about giving voice to the voiceless, providing safety to those who need it, and providing frameworks and platforms to allow people to live a decent life with that most fundamental aspect of freedom, independence of choice and action. Barbados has collaborated with the IOM over the years and has benefited from a number of areas of cooperation. Here we would especially wish to recognize and commend the regional office in the Caribbean, which has been a consistent and reliable partner as the region has faced a series of climate change and economic crises that have had pervasive and fundamental impacts on the movement of our people within and outside of the region. From assisting us with data collection and analysis to better understand the migratory trends to strengthening partnership with key actors in the region such as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and supporting the Caribbean Migration Consultations to work in directly with Barbados on assessing the issuance of e-visas. The IOM has shown its commitment to partnerships for purpose. As Barbados and the IOM enter this new phase in their relationship, we will look forward to further collaboration on the interface between climate change and migration and addressing the human element of migration, both the challenges and the opportunities. We pledge to contribute to discussions important to the global commons, share knowledge and experience, and work with all members to ensure IOM delivers on its mandate and on the expectations of the citizens of the world that we as member states represent. Thank you very much. We're very proud to be a member of this organization. Thank you, Chairperson. And I thank you very much. Excellency for those really, really arousing words. We need them. Thank you so very much. I now have the pleasure to give the floor to the Director General. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Allow me before addressing the accession of Barbados since it's the first time I take the floor upon your election to congratulate you for your election and to wish you a very successful and productive chairmanship. We have been working with you for quite a number of years. You have extensive knowledge of the organization that you are now chairing, and therefore I wish you all the best in your new endeavor. In relation to the accession of Barbados, I want to start by welcoming the decision that has been taken by the Barbados government to join IOM, and I want to thank the members of the council for accepting this 175th member state. Barbados is a key component of our setting in a very irrelevant and critical region in the world, and I can guarantee you that the successful work that we have been developing together has paved the way for the decision that has just been taken by the council. We look forward to strengthen the cooperation with the Barbados, and we also intend that IOM mission in Barbados will have a critical role of coordination in all our activities in the region. Having said that, as I made it clear since the beginning of my term in office, I believe that IOM has a vocation to be a universal organization. Migration is an issue that is a cross-cutting issue all over the world, and it needs to benefit as much as possible of multilateral cooperation. Therefore, we will persist in inviting and encouraging all members, all countries that are not yet IOM member states, to join us. We still have a way to go, as I usually say, joking with a friend of mine who chairs an organization who has 200 member states. Okay, I will not say the name. I say that he has an advantage on me for sure, but we are working hard to catch up, and Barbados is a critical contribution for that purpose. Thank you so much, and welcome. Thank you, Director General. Thank you. We will now continue Agenda Item 7, the draft report on the 112th session of the Council Document C 112L6 Rev 1. The draft report was sent to all member states prior to this meeting. Since no forwarder requests were received on many reports, I invite the Council to consider draft resolution C 113L2 in order to approve it. The floor is open. I see no raised flag. In the absence of any objections, I declare the draft resolution adopted, and the report approved. This is moving really fast. Now we are on Item 8, report on matters discussed at the 30th and at the first sessions of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance. The reports of the two sessions are contained in documents S 30, 13, and S 31, 16 respectively. We will start with the first point on this Agenda Item, i.e. summary updates on the program and budget for 2022. I invite the Reporters of the Standing Committee to report to the Council on the Standing Committee's discussions and recommendations regarding this document. Reporters, the floor is yours. Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the 31st session of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance, an update was provided on the status of the program and budget for 2022 in document C slash 113 slash 8. The administrative part of the budget had remained unchanged at 54 million 30,308 U.S. Swiss franc as approved in document S slash 30 slash 5. The level of OSI was maintained at 142 million U.S. dollars. The operational part of the budget had increased from 2.2 billion U.S. dollars to 2.9 billion U.S. dollars, resulting from additional funding received for ongoing projects and the new initiatives initiated since the approval of the revision of the program and budget for 2022. In accordance with the Standing Committee resolution number 31 of 28 June 2022, on investing in core structure of IOM, the administration had drawn down 5 million U.S. dollars from the OSI reserve to invest in and implement a private sector strategy and to create a goodwill ambassadors program. The Standing Committee on Programs and Finance recommended that the Council take note of the summary update on the program and budget for 2022. I thank you, Mr. Chair. And I thank you. Excellency, thank you. The Rapporteur and I have been serving in the Council, it may be in the Bureau is actually an extremely thoughtful gentleman and thanks for the report. Thank you. I invite the Council now to comment on document C1138 in the light of the introductory remarks by the Rapporteur. The floor is open. I see no raised flags. In the absence of any comment, I suggest that the Council take note of the summary update on the program and budget for 2022 document C1138. Item eight, we will now move on to the next point of this agenda item, a program and budget for 2023. Again, I invite the Rapporteur of the Standing Committee to report to the Council on the summary committee's discussions and recommendations regarding the program and budget for 2023. Rapporteur, you have the floor. Mr. Chair, during the 31st session of the Standing Committee, the administration explained that the program and budget for 2023 had been prepared, taking into account the provisions of Standing Committee resolution number 31 of 28 June 2022 on investing in the core structure of the OBIOM, adopted by the Standing Committee at its 30th session. The proposed administrative part of the budget was presented at 65,346,816 Swiss francs. The operational part of the budget was projected at 1.3 billion US dollars, which was 100 million US dollars higher than the 2022 budget presented at the same time the previous year. The projected level of OSI, 160 million US dollars had been calculated based on the previous year's results and the current and expected trends. The administration expressed appreciation for the competence member states had shown in the organization by agreeing to provide more stable funds for its core functions to enable IOM to deliver on the expectations of member states. The budget reform process, which had culminated in the adoption of Standing Committee resolution number 31, had acknowledged IOM's key role in increasingly important area of migration, while the expanded definition of its core structure that included the leadership structure of country offices recognized that it remained a field-based operational organization. The read the budget reforms would also increase oversight and accountability at all levels of the organization to ensure proper management of risks, compliance, and implementation of results-based management. The first installment of 12 million US dollars of the additional 60 million US dollars in assessed contributions of member states of five years would be applied proportionately across the key areas of delivery oversight and advancement. The projected increase in OSI of 18 million US dollars in 2023 would be used to cover emerging and existing priorities as the organization expanded. Nevertheless, a sizable funding gap remained. Additional voluntary contributions would be warmly welcomed and the administration remained committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in how they are used. Following a discussion, the Standing Committee recommended that the council approve 65,346,816 Swiss franc for the administrative part of the budget and 1.3 billion US dollars for the operational part of the budget as set out in document C slash 113 slash 7 on the program and budget for 2023. I thank you, Chair. And I thank you, Excellency Rapporteur. Taking into consideration the introduction given by Rapporteur of the Standing Committee, I invite the council to comment on the program and budget for 2023. Document C1137. The floor is open. Again, I see no raised flag. I now invite the council to consider draft resolution C113L3 and the program and budget for 2023. I see the representative of the Russian Federation. Thank you, Chair. And good morning to all. We will deliver our statement on the whole of Agenda Item 8. We thank the IOM Secretariat and the Rapporteur for presenting these documents. As it stands, the main result of the SCPF's work this year is the approved decision to increase the level of SES contributions in order to achieve greater financial sustainability of the organization. While the reform itself at that point did not achieve universal support due to both financial and programmatic reasons, there is a possibility to make this endeavor as inclusive, meaningful, and efficient as possible. In order to achieve this, we expect the IOM Secretariat to consult with member states on future ways of reform implementation while sharing all the necessary information that would enable well-balanced decision making on behalf of member states. We also expect to receive regular updates on the progress of reform implementation. Just as we are expecting the Secretariat's updates on intended usage of new sustainable funds, at this very point, we can already foresee some areas that would require additional funding, such as the potential full-fledged addition of IOM to the joint inspection unit and the International Civil Service Commission activities, which would certainly enhance transparency, oversight, and accountability within the organization. Member states haven't arrived to a final conclusion on this topic yet, however, it is clear that should the decision be positive, funds will be required. And we urge the Secretariat to foresee such expenditures as part of this reform, as well as to present the relevant report on the GIU and ICSE membership conditions. With regards to the 2023 program budget, we welcome the Secretariat's high-level of cooperation with member states. The resourcing requirements seem to be well-presented, and we have no objections to their usage. However, we trust that the Secretariat will improve the budget format in the future by distinguishing national officer staff category from the general service staff in the staffing tables, so as to make the document more understandable. We also expect that the transition to results-based budgeting will be done in close coordination with member states. We welcome the report of the Audit and Oversight Advisory Committee and commend its work over the relevant period. We would be interested in seeing in the future reports updates on the status of implementation of various oversight recommendations. We also believe it would be useful if the AOAC could carry out regular dedicated information sessions or briefings for member states, during which the two sides could exchange views on the IOM performance. Such an arrangement would be fully in line with best oversight practices in other UN system organizations. We also welcome the work of the Inspector General and the External Auditor and ask the Secretariat to bring to life the relevant recommendations and take into account the various observations of the oversight mechanisms. It would also be beneficial if the External Auditor could review the IOM risk management system in the nearest future. On the HR summary report, we urge the Secretariat not to promote any controversial and unapproved dimensions of diversity in the future. To embed strategic vision of HR matters, it is necessary to provide an overarching HR strategy for member states review. Thank you very much. Thank you. Russia, the floor is still open. Thank you very much. Thank you. In light of the fact that there is really no objection to the draft resolution, I mean the Russian position is nearly to ask for further work to be done at some point in the coming years. A lot of work went into this. So there is no objection to this draft resolution. I declare the draft resolution adopted. Thank you. Now we are on following item, report on the privileges and amenities granted to the organization by states, by member states. I would like to invite again the Rapporteur of the Standing Committee and I apologize, my dear friend, for putting on this spot so many times. To report to the Council on the Committee's Discussions and Recommendations concerning Document S 31, 6, 9th Annual Report of the Director General on improvements in the privileges and amenities granted to the organization by states. Excellent. You have the floor, Rapporteur. Thank you, Chair. At its first, 31st session, the Standing Committee was presented with the 9th Annual Report of the Director General on improvements in the privileges and amenities granted to the organization by states in Document S 31, 6. During the reporting period, the total number of member states, observer states, and other states and places where the organization had been granted privileges and amenities that met the criteria contained in the Council Resolution No. 126 of 26 November 2013 had increased to 102. However, the absence of privileges and amenities in many relevant states and places, including the lack of immunity from legal process, the failure to recognize the inviability of IOM premises and archives, and the lack of exemption from taxation continued to seriously undermine the organization's ability to function effectively. The Standing Committee on Programs and Finance took note of the report and recommended that the Council remains seized of the matter and reiterate its call to all states to grant the organization privileges and amenities substantially similar to those of the United Nations Specialized Agencies. Thank you. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you. I now invite the Council to comment on the matter in light of the introduction just given by the Rapporteur. The floor is open. In the absence of comments, I recommend that the Council endorse the recommendation made by the Standing Committee on Retreat. It's called to all states to grant the organization privileges and amenities substantially similar to those of the United Nations Socialized Agencies. It is so excited. The Secretary informs me that Jamaica would like to take the floor. The floor is yours, Jamaica. Chair, thank you very much for the opportunity to take the floor. I believe there was a technical glitch when I raised my hand under the item treating with the accession of Barbados to the IOM. So I really appreciate the assistance of the Secretariat and let me just join other colleagues in congratulating you for assuming the chairmanship of the IOM Council as well as other members of the new Bureau and to thank the outgoing chair and team. Chair Jamaica warmly welcomes Barbados to the IOM family. Migration is an important issue for developing countries and small island states, including those in the Caribbean. As we continue to operate in a global village, which involves the movement of people across borders to inter alia offer their services, become consumers in host countries, contribute to the development of the host, and strength ties between and among countries. The IOM is strategically placed to assist developing countries such as Barbados and to compliment their national efforts in harnessing the potential development impact of migration. The IOM works well with its members in responding to urgent migration challenges, as well as developing projects and programs that assist members in achieving their development goals from a migration perspective. The IOM's adoption of the global compact on migration and its diligent implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals related to migration all goes well for Barbados. Barbados is a long standing friend of migration, a hospitable host, as well as a source country. In joining the IOM, Barbados widens its involvement in the global network of instruments and organizations governing or facilitating the movement of people across borders. As a fellow member of the Caribbean community, Karakum, Jamaica appreciates Barbados commitment to the movement of people. In Karakum, migration is an essential dimension of the revised Treaty of Chagoramas in respect of which Barbados is an original signatory and plays an active leadership role. Barbados has made significant strides in developing admission, protection, and integration policies for migrants. The country also plays an active role in any in other organizations with mandates directly or indirectly involving migration. In closing chair, Jamaica acknowledges Barbados as a renowned advocate of multilateralism and Bridgestone's engagements in regional and multilateral organizations, aligning with the principles of the IOM. Jamaica therefore expresses its confidence that Barbados in joining the IOM will be an important player in the field of global migration and will contribute positively to the operations, management, and further development of the organization. Once again, Chair, thank you very much for your assistance. And I thank you, actually, to my dear sister. I didn't see the race flag. I'm really, I apologize, and we bump into each other nearly every other day, and I wouldn't miss that. Thank you, and thank you for the warm words. Thank you so very much. We now move on to item eight of the agenda. We are still on this one. I invite the rapporteur of the Standing Committee to provide, oh, this is something right. Yes, I didn't mean that. To provide his report on the committee's discussions on the following points. One, resolutions and decisions of the duchess section of the Standing Committee. Two, exchange of views on items proposed by the membership. Three, statement by the chairperson of the Global Staff Association Committee. And for other reports and updates. Sarah, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. As you said, I have a total of four items to report under this agenda item. First, resolutions and decisions of the 30th session of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance. In pursuance of council resolution number 1398 of 29 November 2021, the Standing Committee at its 30th session adopted resolutions to take note of the annual report for 2021, approved of financial report for the year ended 31st December 2021, approved the resolution revision of the program and budget for 2022, and invest in the core structure of IOMS in resolution number 31. During the session, the Standing Committee also approved the IOM assessment scale for 2023, as illustrated in documents S slash 30 slash 3 and agreed to review the assessment scale for 2024 during next year 2023. Second, exchange of views on items proposed by the membership. At the 30th and 31st sessions of the Standing Committee, the administration introduced the documents on the following topics that had been selected by the member states. The criticality of humanitarian access to assistance and protection work enabling human mobility as part of resilient pandemic preparedness and response. Update on displacement, migration, and climate action, promoting innovative approaches to prevention, preparedness, response, and solutions, and increased availability of labor mobility pathways for inclusive and prosperous societies. There was an opportunity for discussion following the presentations on each topic. During the discussions, member states commented on the documents, the activities carried out by the organization, and their own experiences in these areas. The Standing Committee took note of the documents provided by the administration and of the comments made by the member states. Third, statement by the chairman, chairperson of the Global Step Association Committee. At the 31st session of the Standing Committee, a presentation was made by the chairperson of the Global Step Association Committee, the Standing Committee took note of the presentation. Fourth, other reports and updates. At each sessions, the Standing Committee also considered and took note of the following reports and updates. Status reports on outstanding contributions to the administrative part of the budget and member states are voting right. Statements and a report of the external auditor. Progress report on the implementation of the external auditor's recommendations. Report on the work of office of the inspector general. Report of the IOM Audit and Oversight Advisory Committee. Updates on plans for the IOM headquarters building. Updates on application of internal governance framework. Updates on human rights, human resources management. Report of the chairperson of the working group on budget reform. Report of the chairperson of the working group on IOM partnerships, governance and organizational priorities. Reports on IOM development fund. IOM partnership with the private sector. Updates on risk management. Updates on IOM migration crisis operational framework 2021 addendum. And finally, provisional work plan for the IOM governing bodies during 2023. Thank you, chair. And I thank you, Excellency. Thank you. I would like to ask some council if there are any comments relating to these items. The floor is open. I see no raised flag. I recommend that the council... There is one. Oh, we are raised. We can't see from here. Yeah. Is that Tunisia? Yes, Tunisia, you have the floor. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you very much, chair. As it's the first time that we're taking the floor, I would like at the outset to congratulate you, as well as all members of the Bureau, for your election and appointment. I would like to make the statement on the report of the SCPF at its 30th session. Chair, firstly, I would like to congratulate all the member states who have shown their flexibility in order to reach this consensual document on the increase of the budget. Tunisia has always been an important partner of the IOM, and it will continue to be so, because we stand convinced of the principles and values which drive this organisation in order to uphold dignity, human rights of migrants in all circumstances and without discrimination. And doubtedly, the work of IOM have strongly been developed over the last few years, which have put further demands on the budget. We'd like to reiterate once again that this increase arrived a moment when Tunisia, like a number of other countries, is facing a number of challenges and is putting all of its efforts into post-COVID recovery. We stand convinced that IOM will make the supplementary funds available with the unmistransparency in order to improve the efficiency of its actions in regions which need it most. We'd like to underscore furthermore the importance of the flexibility needed by member states to allow them to have adaptive payment plans which meet their needs, as has been discussed at the 30th session of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance. Thank you very much, Chair. Thank you very much, Tunisia. Thank you. And thanks for those words of thanking this exterior for the enormous work they did on this budget. Certainly, it was a lot of resourcefulness put into it, and the work of DDG Pope, as part of management, was very critical with the great support of the DDG and all Secretary of Staff. Thank you. The floor is still open. I see no raised floor, so I recommend that it cancel, take notes, and endorse these decisions and documents. Now I invite the Council to consider draft resolution C113L4, taking notes of and endorsing the reports on the 30th and 31st sessions of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance. Documents S3013 and S3116. The floor is open. In the absence of any comments or objections, I declare the draft resolution adopted. And here I will wish to thank the Rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance of His Excellency, Mr Teho Lee, of the Republic of Korea for his report and for the hard work that went into those reports. Thank you very much. This morning's section is now coming to an end. We probably ran quite fast. Yeah, very efficient. Wait, wait. We might, I'm sorry. This afternoon, we will move on to agenda item 10, the high-level segment focused on the intersection between climate change, food security, migration, and displacement. I'd also like to remind delegates that the high-level segment will start at 3 p.m. I thank you all and thank you, Director General. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary. Thank you. See, clearly, my African brothers and sisters, Richard, we have to go have coffee now. It is lunchtime. Thank you.