Comprehensive Set of Measures Needed to Leverage Migration for Development, Speaker Says, as Second Committee Takes Up Globalization, Interdependence
Globalization generated unbalanced outcomes, both among and within countries, the representative of Malawi told delegates in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today.
Speaking on behalf of the African Group in a debate on Globalization and interdependence, he said the current situation was “undesirable and unsustainable”, with the world economy needing to evolve to offer “equitable opportunity and access for all countries, while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development”. Several other delegates raised questions about the existing parameters of globalization, with India’s representative describing “iniquitous international regimes” that prevented developing countries from taking full advantage of progress. He called for a comprehensive restructuring of international decision-making and norm-setting structures to help remedy the problem.
The representative of Brazil added that people at large had not benefited as positively as businesses, with the masses “the objects of globalization, not the subjects”. People-centred policies were needed as people were the “fundamental yardstick” upon which to measure development.
Adding her voice to the calls for change, the representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, who spoke on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that inclusive, equitable globalization required a post-2015 development agenda that included strengthened global partnerships on trade, aid, technology and migration.
Bolivia’s representative took up the relationship between migration and development, calling for greater attention to fall on the nexus between the two. Despite progress at the international level, migration remained inadequately reflected in development frameworks, agendas and sectoral policies, and he suggested exploring a legally binding convention on migration and development.
“Comprehensive measures” were needed to leverage migration for development, a representative of the European Union’s delegation said. He noted that States’ governance frameworks for mobility were often weak, pushing up costs for all parties, and he drew attention to the plight of migrants described in a recent International Organization for Migration (IOM) report, which stated that more than 40,000 migrants had died in transit since 2000.
The study was clear that “challenges remained rife”, said the Permanent Observer for the IOM, though the consensus adoption of the Declaration of the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development showed “a significant evolution in the global debate on migration and development,” with remarkable convergence between the Declaration and several other documents, including the Secretary-General’s Eight-Point Agenda for Action.
The representative of Mexico welcomed the Declaration’s prioritization of a human rights-based approach, stressing the need to view migrants as people, irrespective of their status, while Sri Lanka’s representative noted the complex implications of boosted international mobility. “Brain drain” had negative impacts for countries of origin, but remittances contributed significantly, with the 1.7 million Sri Lankans who worked abroad adding $6.4 billion to the economy.
The importance of remittances as a private source of development finance was acknowledged in the Dhaka Declaration, Bangladesh’s representative said, calling for reduction of transaction costs for remittances and stressing that such payments could never substitute foreign investment and assistance.
Several delegations took up the issue of culture and development, with Peru’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of Culture for Development, noting that General Assembly resolution 68/223 highlighted culture’s potential to drive sustainable development. The resolution encouraged the international community to give due consideration to culture and sustainable development during its articulation of the post-2015 agenda.
Presenting reports this morning were the Chief of the Development Strategy and Policy Branch of the Development Policy and Analysis Division in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), along with the Director of the Population Division of the same Department. The representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the United Nations also introduced a report.
Also making statements were representatives of Costa Rica (on behalf of the Economic Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)), Philippines (on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)), Argentina, Malaysia, Belarus, Morocco, Ethiopia, Singapore, Russian Federation, Sweden, Ukraine, Qatar, Honduras, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Ecuador, and South Africa.
The Permanent Observer of the Holy See also spoke, as did a representative of the International Labour Organization (on behalf of the Global Migration Group).
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., on 27 October to discuss Agriculture development, food security and nutrition.
Background
The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met today to consider the issue of “Globalization and interdependence”. The Committee had before it three reports relating to the issue (documents A/69/203, A/69/207, and A/69/216).
Introduction of Reports
WILLEM VAN DER GEEST, Chief of the Development Strategy and Policy Branch of the Development Policy and Analysis Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on the updated overview of the major international economic and policy challenges for equitable and inclusive sustained economic growth and development and the role of the United Nations in addressing these issues in the light of the New International Economic Order (document A/69/203). He described the economic, social and environmental challenges that the world faced and stressed the need for the United Nations to play a central role in managing global sustainable development, reducing threats to peace and promoting human rights. He noted that 2014 was the fortieth anniversary of the New International Economic Order and stressed that the aspirations in the Declaration remained highly relevant in the broad context of the global sustainable development agenda beyond 2015.
JOHN WILMOTH, Director of the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), introducing the Secretary-General’s report on International migration and development (document A/69/207), highlighted three critical aspects of their work in that area. First, the momentum and widespread support for including migrants, migration and mobility in the post-2015 development agenda should be maintained. Second, supporting durable solutions for refugees and displaced persons in protracted situations, and preventing displacement from both natural and man-made causes were clear examples of how to promote peaceful societies, and facilitate safe and orderly migration. Third, while the inclusion of migration-related targets in the proposed sustainable development goals was an encouraging sign, all the efforts would “come to naught without serious progress in improving the evidence base”. He also called for further progress in implementing the Declaration adopted at the 2013 High-level Dialogue, as well as the Secretary-General’s eight-point agenda for action.
MOUFIDA GOUCHA, Director ad interim of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) New York Office, and UNESCO representative to the United Nations, introduced the report of the Director-General of UNESCO on culture and sustainable development, transmitted in a Note by the Secretary-General (document A/69/216). That document notes the centrality of culture to poverty eradication, boosting education quality, sustainable environmental management, sustainability of cities, as well as to inclusiveness and social cohesion. Among the report’s recommendations were the integration of culture into development policies, the equal participation of men and women and the preservation of traditional knowledge. It proposed options to tackle its recommendations and aimed at an integrative approach.
Statements
Julio Lázaro Mollinedo Claros (Bolivia), on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that the issues covered on the agenda item under discussion today were of particular relevance to the development prospects of developing countries. The nexus between migration and development had to be addressed, in a manner that was mindful of economic, social and environmental dimensions, and included a cultural and human perspective. Despite progress at the international level, migration remained inadequately reflected in development frameworks, agendas and sectoral policies at the national and global levels. A legally-binding convention on migration and development should be explored.
Remittances constituted an important source of private capital, he said, reaffirming the need to promote conditions for cheaper, faster and safer transfers of such funds in source and recipient countries. Human mobility was a key factor for sustainable development; that should be adequately considered in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda. Culture was also an essential component of sustainable development, as it represented a source of identity, creativity and innovation for the individual and the community. The Group looked forward to fully integrating culture in the agenda.
INGA RHONDA KING (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and associating herself with the Group of 77 and China and CELAC, noted that six years since the global economic crisis, CARICOM member States had yet to return to the pre-crisis levels of income, employment or development. High external debt remained a challenge, and many CARICOM States had entered into International Monetary Fund (IMF) programmes of varying severity. To ensure that modern globalization was inclusive and equitable would require that the post-2015 agenda include a strengthened global partnership framework in trade, migration, overseas development assistance and technology.
The Samoa Pathway outcome document had identified the urgent need to strengthen cooperation and enable strong, genuine, and durable partnerships at all levels to address the vulnerabilities of small island developing States, she said. Rio+20 underscored the need for strengthened international trade cooperation. She called for a fair global trade system that addressed the emerging issues of importance to small vulnerable economies and reduced barriers to trade among developing countries. She urged for the successful conclusion of the Doha Round.
JAUN CARLOS MENDOZA GARCIA (Costa Rica), speaking on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), said that the most adequate framework to carry out a comprehensive follow-up on migration and development was that provided by the United Nations, which was mandated to follow up on social, humanitarian and development matters based on the sovereign equality of States. There was a need to promote cheaper, faster and safer transfer of remittances in both source and recipient countries, and remittances could not be considered a substitute for foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA), debt relief or other public sources of financing for development. Laws or regulations that criminalized the act of migrating were regrettable.
Committed to intensifying measures aimed at preventing and combating human trafficking, the Community underlined that migration needed to be considered in an integral manner during the negotiations for the establishment of the post-2015 development agenda. On the second issue of the day, culture and sustainable development, his region was characterized by its cultural diversity, he said. In Havana, CELAC countries had earlier in 2014 adopted a Special Declaration on Culture as a Promoter of Human Development and highlighted its contribution to the integration of peoples of the region.
LIBRAN N. CABACTULAN (Philippines), speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), noted that the region was a powerhouse for labour and migration, and was committed to protecting migrant human rights including the elimination of human trafficking. Since 2007, when a framework for protecting migrant rights was first established by declaration, ASEAN had also established committees and plans aimed towards strengthening the protection of migrant rights. Governments, trade unions and employers were working together under the Triangle Project to align the region’s legal and policy frameworks on labour migration and the protection of rights of migrants.
He said ASEAN agreed that there was a need to reduce the cost of labour migration across borders and that by the end of 2015 the Association would be facilitating the free flow of service. It was also adopting common competency standards in the tourism sector. The Association supported initiatives by Member States for strengthening national capacities to assist stranded migrants and their families. ASEAN States would endeavour to identify capacity-building needs and ways to ensure better data collection for the International Labour Statistics Database. The in-depth involvement of multilateral institutions in the promotion and institutionalization of migration partnerships was welcomed. For example, ASEAN was working with the International Labour Organization (ILO), and other groups to protect migrants in the Greater Mekong Subregion, and with Public Services International and the ILO on a pilot programme to provide specialized employment services in the health sector.
CHARLES P. MSOSA (Malawi), speaking on behalf of the African Group, and associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said the current process of globalization was generating unbalanced outcomes, both among and within countries, which was “undesirable and unsustainable”. Instead, globalization must be people-centred, ensuring respect for their basic human rights, cultural identity, decent work and empowerment. It must also “promote a global economy that offers equitable opportunity and access for all countries, while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development”.
The international migration of people lied at the heart of the ongoing globalization processes, he said, and must be incorporated in the post-2015 development agenda. He called for the full implementation of the ILO standards concerning migrants and their families, and the full adherence to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; as well as the Durban Programme of Action. As remittances constituted an important source of private capital, and Africa was paying around $1.8 billion each year in excess transfer fees, conditions must be created to enable cheaper, faster and safer transfers of such funds in both source and recipient countries.
John Busuttil (European Union) said a “comprehensive set of measures” was needed to leverage migration for development and address related challenges. States’ governance frameworks for mobility were often weak, increasing costs of migration for Governments as well as migrants themselves. He noted the plight of migrants described in a recent International Organization for Migration (IOM) report, which stated that more than 40,000 migrants had died in transit since 2000. He was committed to the Declaration adopted at the United Nations High-level Dialogue on International Migration in 2013 and pointed to steps taken to implement it. The input of the Global Forum on Migration and Development on the links between migration and growth and development was welcome and it was pleasing that the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals had highlighted several issues related to migration.
Discussions on migration had been more development-focused at the high-level Dialogue and the Global Forum, he said, calling for further efforts to integrate migration into development strategies. Alongside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Centre and the ILO, the Union was assessing the economic contribution of labour immigration to development in the Global South, while efforts continued to build partnerships with non-Union countries, particularly in the Horn of Africa. Mobility Partnerships were in place with Jordan, Tunisia, and Azerbaijan and a Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility would be signed with Nigeria. Levels of displacement were higher than ever, and such situations required humanitarian assistance and long-term development-oriented responses. The European Commission was implementing a Regional Development and Protection Programme in the Middle East and Regional Development and Protection Programmes in Africa.
GUSTAVO MEZA-CUADRA (Peru), speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends on Culture and Development, said that the General Assembly, in resolution 68/223, had highlighted the potential of culture as a driver of sustainable development. The resolution had encouraged the international community to give due consideration to culture and sustainable development in the elaboration of post-2015 development. One of the fields in which culture played a key role was, for example, recognizing that cultural diversity and promotion of intercultural dialogue favoured wider participation in public life, on the basis of human rights and equity objectives.
PALITHA KOHONA (Sri Lanka), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, noted the complex implications stemming from boosted international mobility. The “brain drain” had negative impacts while remittances contributed significantly to States of origin. Around 1.7 million Sri Lankans worked abroad, 48 per cent of whom were female, and they contributed $6.4 billion in remittances to his country’s economy. Most worked in unskilled professions, though that profile had been shifting towards more professional and skilled workers. Programmes were in place to ensure dignity, security and equity of Sri Lankans seeking employment abroad, including insurance schemes, scholarships for children, assisted repatriation and pre-departure training. Every migrant was registered and his country had ratified the International Convention and twice served on the United Nations Committee on Migrant Workers. Gender, age and health caused diverse vulnerabilities and it was important to address the complex social impacts of changing migration patterns.
MATEO ESTREME (Argentina), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, and CELAC, said that his country had pledged to bring about an inclusive development through policies that created jobs, provided social security and protected human rights. Argentina viewed migrants as more than just factors of production, and emphasized the human dimension — their condition as persons who had left their countries due to various forces. It incorporated them into its economy, work and production, which included social and labour rights, access to health and education, equal treatment and respect for their culture. The causes of international migration resided in underdevelopment, and the only response was a more just, supportive and equitable system. Concerning culture, his country had in recent years been successful in building spaces for culture, and had undertaken various initiatives that had made it accessible in every part of the country.
YANERIT MORGAN (Mexico) called for a new vision of international migration, focusing on the migrant as a person, based on respect for human rights regardless of the migration status, and recognizing migrants’ contribution to development. The Declaration of the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development had prioritized a human rights-based approach, and had agreed to include the subject of international migration in the post-2015 agenda. She highlighted the importance of dealing with the role of migration in development, of decreasing the costs of remittances and of recognizing the role of migrants in the societies of destination countries. Concerning culture, she recognized its role in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals; as a driver of peace, reconciliation, economic and social development; and as a vehicle to promote regional integration and protect biodiversity.
Mr. KASSIM (Malaysia), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, as well as ASEAN, said that “management of globalization must effectively and systematically capture the specific needs of the most vulnerable countries and peoples”. His country had benefited from globalization through increased market access for exports as a result of trade liberalization and FDI. However, for developing countries to better deal with globalization challenges, there must be capacity-building through training and technology transfer, trade reform towards a more balanced trading environment and equitable trade among regions, and the creation of an international environment for sustained, inclusive and equitable growth. Furthermore, for globalization to truly benefit developing countries, their infrastructure facilities must be developed.
Mr. PISAREVIC (Belarus) said the International Dialogue had been “a real milestone” on migration, providing important new guidelines for work within the United Nations system and Member States to realize more of its potential. The main challenge associated with migration was the proper regulation and monitoring of migration processes. Migration could serve inclusive social and economic development but it was important to reduce illegal immigration, as well as human trafficking, which he called “a distorted form” of migration. The two areas should be addressed simultaneously, with positive results in one leading to success in the other. His country’s policies, like the National Programme on Demographic Security for 2011-2015, attached importance to the question of migration, aiming to optimize its benefits, reduce emigration and preserve the country’s intellectual and labour potential. The aim was to attract migrants, particularly those with skills. Speaking on work with the IOM, he described a training centre for migration professionals operating in Belarus since 2007.
ANTONIO DE AGUIAR PATRIOTA (Brazil) associated himself with the Group of 77 and China, CELAC and the Group of Friends of Culture. He noted that internationalization of capital, production and property had “transformed the planet into a global market place for investors” but that people at large had not benefited so positively from globalization and needed protection. People should be the “fundamental yardstick” upon which to measure development. Market shortcomings meant globalization proceeded as a two-tier process, with capital flowing on a fast-track, and individuals finding themselves on a slower track. The masses “the objects of globalization, not the subject” and people-centred policies were needed to counter negative impacts of the process. The United Nations should raise its voice in support of harnessing globalization for poverty eradication and sustainable development. Culture and the creative industries had been important to the Brazilian economy, and investment in culture was essential to changing the unsustainable production and consumption patterns associated with the North. As a country of origin and destination, Brazil was also concerned with the issue of mobility, stressing the need for secure access to labour, housing and basic services.
AMIT NARANG (India) said that given the iniquitous international regimes that continued to prevent developing countries from taking full advantage of globalization, a comprehensive restructuring of international decision-making and norm-setting structures was required. A holistic approach to international migration was needed that would maximize the benefits of migration while reducing its negative effects. There was an urgent need for liberalization and simplification of the Movement of National Persons (Mode 4) procedures, where the demand for specialists in developed countries could be matched with the availability of talent in developing countries. A flexible approach to global norm-setting that weaved cultural particularities and national circumstances was important for the success of development initiatives. Referencing the Indian ethos of harmony with nature, he said a culture of frugal living, less waste and equitable sharing of resources was needed.
ABDELLAH BENMELLOUK (Morocco), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, as well as the African Group, said that all countries involved must take up a comprehensive, integrated and coherent approach to international migration. Furthermore, the United Nations system should help them develop policies and programmes to maximize the potential of migration for development. He supported the inclusion of migration in the post-2015 agenda, and called for a reduction in the cost of remittances and support for the protection of human rights of migrants. Many countries in the South accepted more and more migrants. For example, Morocco had been a transit country, but was increasingly becoming a destination country. In that context, its Constitution ensured non-discrimination and equal rights for its nationals and foreigners, and various bodies had been established to deal with the situation of refugees in the country, as well as with issues such as asylum and human trafficking.
YOSEPH KASSAYE (Ethiopia) said that due to the dire global situation, efforts to strengthen global policy coordination and international development cooperation needed to be stepped up. Least developed countries had to become capable of mitigating the risk of marginalization from global markets, and it was important that the Bali Package be fully and timely implemented. Industrial transformation in least developed countries could only be achieved through development of the agricultural sector, and it was crucial that the international community support Ethiopia’s efforts to scale up agricultural public goods and services. He concurred that migration had social, cultural and environmental impacts as contained in the Secretary-General’s report (document A/69/207), and voiced the need to eliminate migrant exploitation, discrimination and xenophobia, and reduce the costs of transferring remittances.
SHEN WANLING (Singapore), aligning herself with the G77 and China, as well as ASEAN, said her country had harnessed the positive impact of globalization —resources, investment and human capital to build a strong economy. Singapore was the second most competitive city in the world according to the Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic forum 2013-2014. As a result of its migrant diversity, commitment to secular multiculturalism had become entrenched in Singapore’s national identity. Her country needed to integrate a growing population of new citizens who had migrated there, while shaping a distinctive Singaporean culture. Efforts were being undertaken to broaden the country’s collective memory through shared experiences, such as the Singapore HeritageFest, and the establishment of the Public Art Trust. The creative economy was highly transformative in income generation and job creation, and the role of culture should be considered in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda.
PAVEL FONDUKOV (Russian Federation) described the multifaceted complexity of migration and its impacts on countries of origin, transit and destination. Negotiations within the United Nations could help realize the potential of migration, while mitigating problems associated with it. Illicit and illegal migration needed to be dealt with and human rights had to be upheld. An exchange of experiences should occur on the subject of “brain drain” and more studies should be carried out. Remittances were an important source of development finance for countries of origin and many immigrants, mainly from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), were present in the Russian Federation. More than 40 legal regulations had been adopted in recent years, regulating migrant labour in a civilized manner, he suggested, as he described policies ensuring equal rights for migrants and stressed the need for policies to focus on development.
MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh), associated himself with the Group of 77 and China, noted that migration continued to “spread and deepen in scope, scale and complexity”. It had not featured in the Millennium Development Goals but recent years had seen “deepening global discourse” on the subject. Its wider development ramifications were more widely recognized and it was addressed in the post-2015 development agenda, albeit “not adequately or satisfactorily”. “Migration with dignity” was key and positive steps had been taken as part of national level development plans. His Government was working through the Colombo Process to protect migrants’ rights and participated in the Global Forum, taking up the Chair in 2016. Migrants were recognized as agents for development in the Dhaka Declaration, which had become a reference document for migration debates. The importance of remittances as a private source of development finance was acknowledged, though transaction costs needed to be reduced and remittances could never be seen as substitutes for foreign investment and assistance.
MAGNUS LENNARTSSON (Sweden), associating himself with the European Union, shared some highlights and recommendations from his country’s chairmanship of the Global Forum on Migration and Development. With regard to the contribution of migration to economic development, many countries had recognized the need to attract skilled migrants, but systems must also be in place to ensure the portability of such benefits as pensions and social security, among others. Concerning the links between migration and social development, the greater the access to rights and the more choice migrants had in their country of destination, the more likely migrants and members of the diaspora were to play an active role as positive agents of social and economic development in their countries of origin. Migration should be included as an enabler in the post-2015 agenda, which should safeguard the human rights of migrants.
Yaroslav Golitsyn (Ukraine), associating himself with the European Union, said his country had been transformed from one of rather low mobility into one of origin, transit and destination in the past 20 years. Since 2009, it had seen a steady 10,000 to 20,000 annual increase in the registered migrant population. His country had undertaken numerous measures to provide migrants, non-governmental organizations and civil society with key tools for minority rights protection, and had initiated programmes for utilizing social media tools in combating discrimination. However, the current crisis in Ukraine had had a detrimental effect on the progress of the Government’s anti-trafficking initiatives. The country’s highest priority was to implement a joint project with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to prevent human trafficking through the enhancement of economic opportunities. Ukraine was also promoting its National Referral Mechanism for Assisting Victims of Trafficking through information campaign.
ALDAANA MOHAMMED A.H. AL-MULLA (Qatar), associating herself with the Arab Group, Group of 77 and China, as well as the Group of Friends on Culture and Development, said that international migration was a multidimensional reality, and should be addressed taking into account issues such as human rights and environmental factors. Her country was committed to protecting the rights of migrants, including through residential projects which would provide tens of thousands of new homes for foreign workers. Concerning culture, she considered it essential to human development, contributing to social integration and poverty eradication. As the world moved closer to the post-2015 agenda, the importance of cultural diversity must be recognized and natural heritage must be protected. In its National Vision 2030, Qatar sought to become a global hub for culture.
SUYAPA CARÍAS (Honduras), associating herself with CELAC and the Group of 77 and China, highlighted the problem of Honduran and Central American children who migrated to the North, often unaccompanied by an adult. Their numbers had increased due to unprecedented violence in her country, which had become one of the main battlefields of drug trafficking. Thousands of children and adolescents in vulnerable situations were pressured to join international criminal networks, and many of them preferred to take the path of irregular migration despite the associated risks. Other causes for irregular migration included the search for better economic opportunities due to a lack of jobs and high levels of poverty. Her country had launched several programmes and projects to address the causes of irregular migration and offer support to the affected families.
RUBÉN IGNACIO ZAMORA RIVAS (El Salvador), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, CELAC and the Group of Friends on Culture and Development, said that the human rights of migrants, especially women, children and other vulnerable persons, must be protected at every stage of the migration process. Migrants were frequently detained, and migrant children and children of migrant parents were often denied access to education and health services. Cooperation on international migration must be strengthened, and the issue must be addressed as a priority in the post-2015 agenda. A new approach of respect for and protection of human rights was needed, and there must be an acceptance of the shared responsibility of the countries of origin, transit and destination. El Salvador was making an effort to improve the quality of life of its citizens and to educate its population about the risks associated with irregular migration.
KHALED AL-OTAIBI (Saudi Arabia) said that special care should be given to migrants’ humanitarian circumstances and facilitating their access to basic health, developmental, nutritional and educational services. It was important to provide concrete and realistic studies on all migration-related issues and challenges, and set fixed definitions of migrants so as not to include foreign workers who were a completely different category. Saudi Arabia was not a receiving country of migration and had no regulations to allow such reception. It used temporary employment which contributed $40 billion annually in support of the economies of the countries providing that employment. He was also concerned about illegal migration, smuggling and trafficking crimes.
ALI HAJILARI (Iran), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that six years since the eruption of the global crisis, the international economy had still not fully recovered. Culture was an essential component of sustainable development, a source of identity, innovation and creativity. It was a factor in building social inclusion and eradicating poverty, and was an enabler and driver of sustainable development. Migrant workers, especially those highly skilled and educated, were a driver for the development of origin and destination countries. To enable all countries to take full advantage of their economic growth potential, there was an urgent need for the international community to establish a fair, transparent, and better coordinated system with a set of sound development goals which could later be tailored to each country.
MERVE NEVA ÜNAL (Turkey) said her country would spare no effort in attempts to strengthen the Global Forum for Migration and Development, and would look to build on the Declaration that followed the High-level Dialogue. The pioneering initiatives of the Swedish Chair would be built to improve the lives of the 230 million migrants worldwide who contributed to life in their host societies. If human rights were properly promoted, migrants could exercise their talents and energies, contributing better to countries of destination, as well as to their families and countries of origin. International migration had to be managed cooperatively, with the protection of human rights and labour rights to the fore. She would work to bring to life partnerships between countries of origin, transit and destination and would examine ways in which to make migration work better.
The representative of Kazakhstan described the State as a mostly migrant-receiving country, and introduced modern measures of legislation such as the Law of Migration. That provided the basic rules governing immigrants, and ensured the rights and interests of foreign workers. Migrants could seek permission to work under the category of self-employment in Kazakhstan whereas previously permission was only provided by employers. To increase investment in the country, simplified procedures were established for some organizations that employed a foreign labour force. Kazakhstan and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) were a single migration system. In 2012, the country signed the Concept of the common migration space of the CIS Member States, which helped to ensure the equal treatment of all migrant workers, expand the channels of their legal employment, and improve international migration management cooperation.
XAVIER LASSO MENDOZA (Ecuador) associated with the Group of 77 and China, and CELAC, saying the migrant was “a global political and economic agent” and proposing the building of a “universal citizenship” in such a way that countries of origin and destination guaranteed people the right to mobility and permanence. The post-2015 agenda should work towards providing decent jobs for migrants in good conditions, while migrant populations should have access to education and health care. Their rights and duties should be equal to those of natives. The issue was usually approached from just one angle, recognising migrants’ remittances but suggesting they were a burden to host states for several reasons. The approach did not reveal the role of migrants in building recipient countries’ economies. Rather than their most significant economic contribution being in countries of origin, migrants made weighty contributions to their host countries. Dialogue was needed to improve the international attitude to migrants and regular high-level dialogue was needed. A Convention should be established to mainstream migration fully into the United Nations system.
Tilana GROBBELAAR (South Africa), associating herself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said her country was intensifying its international engagements on migration issues, building cooperation and common standards regionally. The principles guiding such policies were derived from the national Constitution, and based on human rights and access to social services and opportunities. At the same time, national interests were emphasized, as was the need to uphold accession to international treaties. She stressed her commitment to empowered, engaged citizens and communities that shunned racism, sexism and which supported equal opportunities for all. The Millennium Development Goals could not be achieved if a critical sector of society was ignored and she supported a multilateral approach to building on existing partnerships.
BERNARDITO AUZA, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, said the central challenge in the post-2015 development agenda was to ensure that globalization benefits everyone. Culture was a prime vehicle to express and share common humanity, and given all its benefits and values, culture should not be reduced to the logic of market exchange. On migration, he noted that it was one of the biggest challenges of globalization. An estimated two million women fell victim each year to trafficking, and many, including children, were victims of organ trafficking. Those modern forms of slavery were the opposite of a globalization driven by the culture of encounter and the values of solidarity and justice. It was necessary always to see the human face of migration, to see the migrant as a fellow human being, endowed with the same human dignity and rights as ourselves.
JANE STEWART, Special Representative to the United Nations and Director, ILO, said the High-Level Dialogue did not provide a clear pathway for implementation of the Secretary-General’s eight-point agenda for action, and periodic review of progress could be required. The Global Migration Group believed it necessary to address the root causes of migratory movements caused by necessity or coercion rather than true choice. Targets related to migrants and migration proposed by the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals were welcome and the Group was ready to assist States in defining how those targets could be framed, implemented and measured. A technical workshop on realizing post-2015 development aspirations related to migration focused on social dialogue, better mechanisms to connect migrant remittances and savings, and the role of local government. In her ILO capacity, she referred to the International Labour Conference, noting its main focuses and its specific recommendations.
MICHELLE KLEIN SOLOMON, Permanent Observer for the IOM, associated herself with the ILO. She said the second High-Level Dialogue had been marked by “a significant evolution in the global debate on migration and development”, evidenced by the consensus adoption of the Declaration and degree of convergence between the Declaration and documents like the Secretary-General’s Eight-Point Agenda for Action. The convergence indicated that it was possible to find common ground. Challenges remained rife and had been outlined in the IOM ‘Fatal Journeys’ report, which documented migrant deaths globally, indicating that at least 40,000 people had died while attempting to cross international borders since 2000. She welcomed the Secretary-General’s call on members of the Global Migration Group to implement his Agenda for Action. With the international community at a “critical point” in negotiations on the new development agenda, she said IOM consistently advocated for promoting mobility partnerships for development; protecting the human rights of all migrants; and reducing the incidence and consequences of forced migration.