Secretary-General, at Side Event, Encourages Better Field Coordination, Concrete

 

Follow-Up to Make Migration Work for Development

 

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s remarks at Global Migration Group Event on “Adolescents, Youth and Migration” in New York on 4 October:

It is a pleasure to join you.  We have heard many speeches this morning so I will be brief now.

I thank the Global Migration Group (GMB) for organizing this event and for the Group’s many contributions to this week’s High-level Dialogue.  The members of the GMG have worked tirelessly to make the most of this opportunity.  You organized meetings in New York, Geneva and elsewhere to brief Member States on the issues.  You presented strong evidence of migration’s impact on development, and highlighted the human rights challenges that are a central part of the picture.

You prepared system-wide recommendations, which were adopted by the Chief Executives Board, and issued a background report on each of the round tables.  You adopted new working methods, prepared insightful papers and participated actively in various panels.  I want to thank you for all your hard work.

Mr. Fedotov, you ably initiated the internal review of the GMG during the second half of last year.  Mr. Prado, the Regional Commissions steered the GMG during the first half of this year.  Ambassador Swing, you are currently leading the GMG with great energy and vision at this critical juncture.  And Mr. Ryder, I am very pleased that the International Labour Office will take the helm in 2014.

What started more than a decade ago as a series of informal discussions between the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the IOM Director-General has become a robust 16-member network that promotes international standards, coordinates work programmes and takes joint initiatives.

Your leadership role, both as the Global Migration Group and as individual agencies, in the complex area of migration and development is to be commended.  I urge all of you to continue your efforts to enhance our effective inter-agency collaboration.  I count on each and every one of you.

Our challenge now is to consider where we go from here.  Closer collaboration will be critical, including between the GMG and the Global Forum on Migration and Development.  In addition, we should focus on practical steps that will bring the Global Migration Group closer to the people we serve.  That means improving coordination in the field and providing capacity-building to Governments.

I am delighted that Member States have been able to agree on some key migration principles.  Member States are also presenting their experiences and best practices.  Now it is up to you to work with Member States to help implement these measures.  I encourage you to take stock of this High-level Dialogue and to present a concrete plan for follow-up.

My report puts forward eight concrete ideas for action.  I am sure you have a wealth of other ideas and I very much look forward to hearing your thoughts.  I congratulate all involved for preparing this High-level Dialogue, for your continuing efforts to strengthen inter-agency coherence and cooperation, and for your commitment to making migration work for development.

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For information media • not an official record