INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: MANY QUESTIONS, FEW ANSWERS

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION:  MANY QUESTIONS, FEW ANSWERS

Coordination Meeting on International Migration 11-12 July

NEW YORK, 8 July (UN Population Division) -- International migration, with its intricate web of demographic, social, economic and political consequences, is a topic that has moved to the forefront of the national and international agenda.  However, the many questions arising from growing concerns about international migration have few clear answers.  Exacerbating this situation is the lack of accurate and up-to-date information on international migration levels, trends and policies.

The General Assembly, in its resolution 56/203 of 21 December 2001, called “upon all relevant bodies, agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system and other relevant intergovernmental, regional and subregional organizations, within their continuing mandated activities, to continue to address the issue of international migration and development and to provide appropriate support for interregional, regional and subregional processes and activities on international migration and development…”

In response to this resolution and also to provide further information on international migration to the General Assembly, the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat is organizing a Coordination Meeting on International Migration.  This Meeting, the first of its kind focusing solely on international migration, will take place on 11-12 July, at United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

The primary objectives of the Meeting are threefold:  (a) to share and exchange information on data collection activities -- existing and planned –- in the area of international migration, and their use; (b) to identify the major gaps or areas of missing information; and (c) to facilitate the coordination of activities of the various offices within the United Nations system and other relevant international and regional organizations as well as national institutions concerned with international migration.

Participants will come from offices and agencies in the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations and other international and regional organizations, that are active in collecting, using and/or disseminating information on international migration.  Participants will present papers describing the major activities of their organization regarding the compilation and utilization of international migration information.  The papers, together with a synthesis of the discussions, will be included in the report that will be issued

shortly after the Meeting.  All material relating to the Meeting, including the papers, can be accessed from the United Nations Population Division Web site, www.unpopulation.org.

Further information may be obtained from the office of Mr. Joseph Chamie, Director, Population Division, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA; tel.

1-212-963-3179; fax 1-212-963-2147.

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