A/61/PV.4 General Assembly

Never before has the issue of international migration been so important as it has been in this new millennium. The Kingdom of Lesotho therefore congratulates the Secretary-General on convening this special meeting. It is an undisputable fact that international migration involves both very positive impacts and very overwhelming challenges. Issues of human trafficking, human smuggling and acts of terrorism under the guise of migration are some of the challenges bedevilling the phenomenon of international migration. However, issues of international cooperation and regional integration of States, improved migration infrastructure and the globalization drive have also reduced the impact of the negative issues on migration. All these efforts should be channelled towards the realization of the Millennium Development Goals and the strengthening and implementation of Member States’ poverty reduction strategies. My country’s position is that the international community’s commitment and cooperation is needed more than ever before. I wish to submit a few recommendations to the High-level Dialogue for consideration. First, international migration affects national and regional development strategies and policies, and the disparities that exist between the movement of capital, goods, information and the movement of persons must be addressed in a manner that increases global economic efficiency, reduces unemployment in some sectors in countries of origin and promotes technology transfer, investment and venture capital. Secondly, effective policies and practices must be put in place to address irregular migration, which includes the trafficking and smuggling of persons. The protection of the human rights of migrants and their families, as enunciated in the conventions of the United Nations and the International Labour Organization, is a central component of comprehensive and balanced migration management practices. Thirdly, there is solid evidence that migration of citizens from one country to another has, in many instances, assisted in improving the economic outlook for one or both countries. The Kingdom of Lesotho has been and continues to be one of the main suppliers of migrant labour to the neighbouring Republic of South Africa. That has earned Lesotho huge economic benefits in the form of remittances that have been repatriated. The importance of remittances to many households and economies should be recognized. However, remittances in general, should not be seen as a substitute for foreign direct investment, trade, overseas development assistance and debt relief. Policies should be developed to assist remitters and their households by lowering the cost of remitting, removing restrictions on the transfer of funds and improving the level of investment and the productive use of remittances. A professor once remarked that, as long as the trends of globalization and technology retain their current dynamic, the issue of migration with its concepts of “brain drain”, “brain gain” and “brain sharing” will remain with us for a long time. Regional consultative processes such as the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa are crucial for fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and concerted effort among stakeholders with regard to migration challenges. This High-level Dialogue is urged to recognize their value and to encourage cooperation among them. Managing migration is a very daunting task for any country. That is complicated by the need for a country to ensure that those who enter its borders are desirable members of our international community, not criminals or perpetrators of terrorist acts. That requires both stern and accommodating migration laws: the legislation should be very harsh to those who have evil intentions when entering a country, while it should facilitate protection for those with noble and acceptable intentions and freedom for them to stay in the country. The balance is delicate and needs the cooperation and continued dialogue of the international community.

Before I give the floor to the next speaker, I have an announcement. As members are aware, the General Assembly heard 20 speakers this morning, and we still have 127 speakers remaining for the High-level Dialogue. In this connection, there is no alternative but for the Assembly to continue the meeting until 9 p.m. I would like once again to appeal to Member States to limit their statements to four minutes so that we can exhaust the list of speakers at a reasonable hour tomorrow evening. I hope that I can count on the cooperation of representatives to keep to the time limit. I give the floor to Her Excellency Senator Amanda Vanstone, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs of Australia.

The challenge for States is how best to govern flows of people in a way that achieves the greatest benefit for all the parties concerned — sending and receiving States and migrants themselves. Australia’s entire social and economic fabric and success have been built upon migration. Over the past decade alone, we have welcomed nearly 1 million people as permanent settlers. Almost 25 per cent of our population was born outside our country. We are pleased to have been recognized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development as an immigration country par excellence. That experience convinces us that well-managed migration is the best way of ensuring that the process of migration results in the greatest benefits for all concerned and, importantly, of reducing many of the tragic abuses now associated with irregular migration. Carefully managed legal migration is the best way to protect both the legitimate interests of States and the human rights of migrants. In this way, the scope for the exploitation of migrants by people- smugglers, traffickers and unscrupulous employers is vastly diminished. The Australian experience also convinces us that well- designed national migration policies backed by effective administrative capacity will do the most to open up opportunities for nation-building and development. Migration policies based on labour market research and analysis, wide consultation with stakeholders and follow-up evaluation ensure that migration is successfully geared to the needs and capacities of a State. By fostering orderly humanitarian migration, we have been able to make a commitment to seek out those most in need and to maintain a resettlement programme, with generous post-arrival help in all those things required to establish a new life in another country, supported by whole-of-Government funding of about $2 billion every four years. These policies will greatly contribute to a positive experience for individual migrants by ensuring respect and facilitating self-sufficiency and willing participation in our society. The development challenges and benefits flowing from return migration, the recirculation of skills, remittances and diaspora-related investment have all been well documented. Development plans and strategies would clearly benefit from much stronger linkages with the effective management of migration. The contribution that migration can make to the achievement of development goals is not possible without effective administrative capacity to deliver. We believe that the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with its tremendous experience in migration matters and its worldwide reach, is ideally placed to be the prime vehicle for worldwide capacity- building. In our own region, some States have strong capacities and others do not. We work with partner countries in the Asia- Pacific region to help build capacity so that we and our partners can reap the benefits of orderly migration and curb the abuses associated with irregular migration. The very nature of international migration requires cooperation among States. We are a long-term participant in dialogue and cooperation bilaterally, in regional consultative processes and at the global level. We believe that the best way to promote understanding and cooperation on migration is by focusing on shared goals and practical cooperative activities. At the global level, we participate actively in the high-quality annual dialogue on migration policy sponsored by the IOM. We have been closely involved in best-practice forums such as the Berne Initiative. In our own region, we participate in a range of consultative processes. Australia believes that these processes, and similar regional processes in other parts of the world, form the most effective building blocks for international dialogue and cooperation. We know they work. Future international dialogue on migration is likely to be most effective if it is built on these existing regional processes. They reflect the shared interests of States and utilize the expertise of bodies such as the IOM.

I give the floor to His Excellency The Honourable Nicholas Goche, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare of Zimbabwe.

Allow me to congratulate you, Madam, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session and to express my confidence that this High- level Dialogue on International Migration and Development will have a fruitful outcome under your able stewardship. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the subject under discussion today. It is indeed a welcome development that the international community has awakened to the importance of international migration, not only as it relates to the globalization process but also as it affects development in both countries of origin and countries of destination. The phenomenon of international migration presents opportunities and challenges when examined in terms of development. It is therefore our hope that this Dialogue will assist us in our collective efforts to map out concrete and practical strategies to turn international migration into a developmental tool that is beneficial to all, in particular developing countries. The perceived benefits of international migration to developing countries should not be limited to remittances alone. While remittances can go a long way towards improving the livelihoods of the recipient families, they do not constitute a financial resource upon which long-term development strategies can be based. Moreover, remittances do not compensate for the loss of much-needed skilled and professional personnel whom developing countries lose almost daily to developed countries. Zimbabwe, like many developing countries, invests heavily in the education and training of its personnel. However, a study done in 2005 shows that the country had lost 60 per cent of its State-registered nurses and half of its medical doctors. Such a massive loss of skilled personnel, arising in part from the aggressive recruitment methods employed by agencies and public and private organizations in developed countries, calls for a more systematic approach to addressing this problem at the global level, at the core of which should be mechanisms whereby developed countries compensate developing countries. For our part, we, as developing countries, should put in place policies and take measures that allow us to benefit in terms of development from the phenomenon of migration. Such measures, which should also target our citizens abroad, should include reducing the cost of remittances, creating development funds to which non- residents can contribute and encouraging non-residents to invest in designated sectors of the economy through appropriate measures to facilitate such investments. The other side of migration is the one that relates to irregular and undocumented migrants involved in illegal border crossing or “border jumping”, as it is known in our region. These migrants constitute a group that is more vulnerable to all kinds of exploitation and human rights abuses, and they form the bulk of economic refugees. It is, therefore, vital that measures be put in place to ensure their protection and humane treatment. Bilateral and multilateral initiatives are needed to ensure better treatment of these migrants. Alongside such efforts should be measures to address the problem of xenophobia through public awareness. Indeed, xenophobic tendencies have become one of the biggest challenges of our time. The Zimbabwe Government is currently working with UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration and the International Labour Organization to provide humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants who face deportation from neighbouring countries. This initiative, which the Government of Zimbabwe appreciates, is one example of the role that the United Nations system and other international organizations can play in assisting those who find themselves away from home and in difficult circumstances. Let me conclude by pointing out that, to the extent that migration is the unfinished business of globalization, Zimbabwe will continue to encourage global dialogue on migration. Our considered view is that only internationally agreed strategies and programmes will address the challenges posed by international migration and maximize the opportunities for development that it presents for the benefit of all.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdulla Ali Mohd Al-Kaabi, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.

I wish at the outset, on behalf of my delegation, to congratulate you, Madam, and your country on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. Our delegation also expresses its deepest appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, for his efforts in guiding the work of the General Assembly during the sixtieth session. Our appreciation goes also to Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his tireless efforts and for his comprehensive reports on the various aspects of international migration and development. We also align ourselves with the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. International migration is a phenomenon that is as old as the human need to search for livelihood and security. If thoughtfully regulated and invested in, it could play a key role in constructive cooperation among the world’s nations in the areas of human assistance, the exchange of economic benefits and the building of bridges of cultural tolerance among peoples and States. This would help promote sustainable development programmes, especially in developing countries, and would bolster good relations and strengthen efforts aimed at maintaining international peace and security. Since its establishment, the United Arab Emirates has recognized the importance of economic and cultural cooperation between friendly and fraternal countries; this carries with it economic and social benefits and gains for all parties. Since oil began to flow in our country, the State has opted to import foreign labour to help build the infrastructure necessary for laying the foundations of a modern State and advancing its institutions in order to achieve sustainable development and prosperity for its citizens. At the same time, it established a partnership with labour-exporting countries, especially developing ones, to help vitalize their economies and implement development programmes in those countries. It is estimated that external remittances amount to $22 billion annually. Expatriate labour represents about 90 per cent of the total workforce in the United Arab Emirates. In the light of these statistics and their economic implications, and to protect the special characteristics of Emirate society in the face of the cultural and social impact of values and norms brought into the country by expatriate labour, which could influence the social fabric and demographic make-up of the country, as well as for other sensitive reasons, the United Arab Emirates has enacted a set of laws and regulations ensuring that guest workers in the country are temporary, not permanent, immigrants. These workers do not emigrate to live permanently in the United Arab Emirates; rather, they come on temporary work contracts to perform specific jobs, after which they return home. These arrangements are made according to mechanisms and procedures agreed upon by countries exporting and importing labour and have been endorsed by the International Migration Organization. This arrangement has had positive outcomes and has yielded fruitful results for the economies of both parties. Acting from its convictions and in line with a policy based on principles of cooperation and respect for human beings and for cultural and religious diversity, the United Arab Emirates provides expatriates with a friendly and tolerant social environment that meets their social and human needs. Believing in the important role that expatriate labour plays in stimulating the economy, the State has enacted laws and regulations to regulate the entry, residence and work of foreign workers and to ensure that their rights are protected in accordance with national laws and international treaties on labour, workers and human rights. The United Arab Emirates has ratified nine international treaties in this sphere. One of the most important rules was the law promulgated last year by our head of State, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, regulating the use of children in camel racing. It prohibits using children of either sex, under the age of 18, in any form of camel racing and subjects violators to severe penalties. Another new measure was adopted in July 2006, requiring that construction companies allow a two-and-a-half-hour midday break for labourers who work under the sun during the months of July and August, when the temperature rises to very high levels. In conclusion, we hope that our dialogue will achieve its desired goal of leading our countries towards progress, prosperity and sustainable development.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. E. Ahamed, Minister of State for External Affairs of India.

Madam President, let me join my colleagues in extending to you our heartfelt felicitations on your election. International migration is a subject of much global interest at present. It involves people and has differing impacts on sending, receiving and transit countries, including on their economies and their societies. I am, therefore, glad that international migration is being discussed at the United Nations. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his detailed report (A/60/871), as well as for the events organized as part of the preparatory process for this High-level Dialogue. India is a major country of origin, destination and transit of migrants, with a long history of attracting people and of sending people to other lands. It is estimated that around 20 million people of Indian origin live in other countries, while another 20 million migrants, including a large number of irregular migrants, are in India today. Overseas Indians, by dint of sheer effort, very often in trying circumstances, have significantly contributed to the countries of their destination, while at the same time playing a positive role in building a bridge with India. Recognizing this, every year we celebrate their achievement with a Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, or Day of the Indian Migrant, and have taken several innovative investment and policy initiatives including the overseas citizenship of India programme. In the context of globalization there is a need to recognize the inevitability of international migration. That presents challenges and opportunities, including the increased demand for specialists in developed countries to strengthen their international competitiveness. In fact, the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects 2006 notes that a rise in migration from developing countries raises incomes of natives in high-income countries. The developed countries would therefore benefit from a greater openness than hitherto in allowing movement of natural persons across national frontiers and from greater political will and determination for a successful conclusion of the GATS Mode 4 negotiations. High-income countries must address the legitimate needs of migrants, including a refund of their pension benefits and social security contributions, especially in cases of migrations of shorter duration. The lack of appropriate or matching structures in the country of origin should not be made an excuse for the denial of a migrant’s legitimate pension benefits. Efforts, especially in the case of short duration migrants, also need to be made to reduce the cost of remittances. Coming from Kerala, one of the largest places of origin of many of our workers overseas, I can personally testify to the importance of remittances. They are often the most important source of livelihood for the families of the migrant workers, and support not just one, but many persons. There are no restrictions in India on migrating overseas. We favour a regular, non-discriminatory and orderly process, whether for permanent or short-term migration. In this context, artificial barriers to migration by high-income countries should not be created. Receiving, as well as sending countries, should act to reinforce the positive impacts of from migration and work together in a cooperative atmosphere, while being sensitive to each other’s concerns. We also believe that countries of origin benefit from the return of migrants with skills or capital that they would not have acquired at home. The existence of reliable domestic institutions encourages the involvement of migrants in the development of their countries of origin. Brain drain, as a result of the migration of skilled and highly trained people, can also be translated into an overall gain. As we speak about international migration today, we also need to note the problematic facet of irregular migration, which is a cause of concern for our collective well-being. Moreover, there are serious security implications, including the use of irregular migrants as an instrument for cross-border terrorism and for creating social tension in the host country. This needs to be tackled with a firm resolve. It is no longer the concern only of domestic law enforcement, but is a matter of global priority requiring a coordinated and a concerted action. A similar firm resolve is required to tackle the scourge of people-smuggling and trafficking, especially of women and children. Cooperative international efforts should result in comprehensive, mutually beneficial solutions that are based on the best practices dealing with international migration. We recognize that international migration solutions and approaches relevant to a particular country or region may not be appropriate for others. Our efforts should focus on promoting teamwork among nations and maximizing the benefits of international migration while reducing its negative effects. We also believe that regular interaction among countries, including at the United Nations, could result in a win-win situation for all.

I call upon Mrs. Aisha Abdel Hady, Minister of Manpower and Migration of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

I wish to express my gratitude and deep appreciation to the Secretary-General and staff of the United Nations for their endless effort in support of the general membership of the Organization and their work towards achieving the internationally agreed development goals. This Dialogue offers a very important opportunity to debate the relationship between migration and development in all its dimensions, in the hope that we can, through this constructive dialogue, establish practical mechanisms and methods that maximize the benefits of migration and minimize its negative impact. Undoubtedly, international migration, if well managed, can contribute positively to countries of origin and countries of destination in every way — ,economically, socially, politically, and culturally. Migration also faces many challenges that should be addressed in a responsible and balanced way, and in a cooperative and constructive manner, between countries of origin and countries of destination and relevant international organizations and civil society. International developments in recent years, including the increasing influence of globalization, have affected the international community, as well as international migration. These developments have led to an increase in the number of people seeking to migrate. Moreover, advances in information technology, coupled with more sophisticated means of communication and transportation, have encouraged citizens of developing countries to migrate to developed countries. The industrial boom and the decline in population growth have also resulted in the need of developed countries to attract working and highly skilled labour from developing countries. This has resulted in a wider gap between countries — both economically and socially. It has also prompted new motives for migration in poorer countries, particularly in the light of the prevailing shift from planned economies to market-oriented economies, with accompanying growth in unemployment in poorer countries. There is therefore a need for us to address this developmental imbalance in order to manage the phenomenon of migration — particularly illegal migration — while protecting the rights of migrant workers in receiving countries. We should seek to create a spirit of integration between migrants and the citizens of those countries, and constantly work to help generate legal migration by increasing its flow through new channels that maximize its developmental effects. If the economic effects of international migration constitute an obvious reality, their social effects are also very significant. In this context, all countries are responsible, whether countries of origin or destination, for the protection and preservation of the rights of migrant workers and their families, regardless of their legal status, according to national legislation and international law — namely, the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which entered into effect in July 2003, and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, particularly the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea, and Air. Egypt believes that all countries should ratify those conventions and that all instruments setting out the rights of migrants should be brought together in one document. Furthermore, we call for the strengthening of international cooperation in promoting the adoption of measures necessary to help migrants to integrate successfully into the communities of recipient countries in all economic, social and cultural fields. There can be no doubt that linking remittances to development in both countries of origin and host countries is of the utmost importance in helping to eradicate poverty, improve living and working conditions and reduce unemployment. Migration policies should protect the economic and social interests of all the countries concerned, without ignoring the rights of the individual migrant. Given that remittances from migrants play a prominent role in the economic and social development of countries of origin, every effort should be made to derive the greatest possible benefit from those remittances. This will require cooperation between all parties, in both countries of origin and host countries, aimed at reducing the cost of transferring remittances to countries of origin for investment in development processes. Egypt would like to emphasize strongly that migrants’ remittances represent a private source of capital that must not, under any circumstances, be considered as an alternative to assistance provided to countries of origin in connection with the global partnership to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. Consequently, an increase in the volume of those remittances should not affect the volume of official development assistance to countries of origin. It is important to highlight that the brain drain — the migration of highly skilled labourers and scientists from countries of origin to recipient countries — has a negative impact on the economic, political and social development of countries of origin. This phenomenon is of particular significance given the increasing number of highly skilled and specialized migrants who, by leaving their countries of origin, deprive such countries of the benefit of their investment in the education of those individuals. It is imperative, therefore, that we reaffirm the need to limit the negative effects of the selective migration policies of some recipient countries that lead to the “brain drain”. Countries of origin should therefore be compensated for the loss resulting from the migration of highly skilled workers and professionals. In this regard, Egypt supports the recommendations contained in the report of the Global Commission on International Migration, particularly with regard to directing joint investment projects and foreign assistance towards the sectors and countries that are most affected by the migration of highly skilled labour. We also welcome the Secretary-General’s initiative to ensure cooperation on immigration-related issues, as well as the appointment of a special representative to deal with this vital issue. We look forward to an agreement among the relevant States in that regard. Due attention should also be given to capacity- building, particularly in developing countries, as that issue is one of the challenges in addressing global migration in a holistic manner. In this context, Egypt emphasizes the need for technical and financial assistance to the source countries in order to provide support to national authorities entrusted with formulating migration policies. The migration policies and procedures that Egypt has adopted are aimed at legalizing the status of illegal Egyptian migrants in the context of Egypt as a source country. It is in our interests to promote the legalization of the status of illegal Egyptian migrants to the extent that circumstances allow in the recipient countries and to work in close cooperation with our development partners to ensure the adoption of policies protecting migrants from collective deportation and integrating legal migrants and shielding them from racism and other forms of hostility. In that way we can protect legal Egyptian migrants, working within legal frameworks to cooperate with recipient countries and support development plans to create jobs, achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty. Egypt is also endeavouring to benefit from the expertise and experience of its migrants, who should be considered a national resource, and to strengthen the link between migrants and their homeland. To conclude, Madam President, I wish you every success in your efforts during this session.

I give the floor to Her Excellency Mrs. Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour of Lithuania.

I would like to express my gratitude to the United Nations for having organized this important High-level Dialogue and for its significant contribution to migration, globalization and development issues. This Dialogue is a great opportunity to discuss the interrelationship between development and migration processes. The enhancing of cooperation as we seek to increase synergy between migration and development is not only a priority for the European Union (EU), but also at the top of the global policy agenda. Governments, international organizations and other actors involved in international policymaking increasingly perceive migration as a factor capable of contributing positively to the attainment of development goals. In seeking to maximize the benefits of migration and to minimize its negative impact, it is very important to ensure that appropriate policies are in place. We need to find the most effective ways and means of contributing to the enhancement of coherence between migration and development policies. Our activities in this field will also make an important contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Lithuania has already experienced both sides of the impact of migration on development. Our country is dealing mainly with economic migration. The impact has been very recent; however, some trends can already be discerned. Unfortunately, we are confronting negative migration. At its peak in 1992, some 25,000 residents left the country — about 0.7 per cent of the population. At that time the change from a planned to a free-market economy resulted in a high unemployment rate in our country, and Lithuanians started to leave to work abroad more frequently. Currently, potential Lithuanian migrants — especially young people — tend to move abroad for short periods for economic reasons and in order to gain experience. The number willing to emigrate is decreasing, because the economy is growing and there are now greater opportunities in Lithuania. There is also better knowledge now of the positive and negative aspects of emigration. Emigration played a big role in the rapid decline of the unemployment rate and in the increase in wages in Lithuania. On the other hand, emigration has had an effect on the immigration of foreigners into the country. Owing to shortages in the qualified labour force, Lithuanian employers have started to employ foreign — non-EU — citizens more frequently. We recognize the necessity of carefully regulated migration processes. Therefore, Lithuania is seeking to create a single comprehensive tool, both political and institutional, at all administrative levels, to ensure proper and adequate migration management. That will yield appropriate solutions to various problems, including demographic ones. Lithuania is aiming to ensure the effective management of economic migration issues through domestic policy measures relating to, inter alia, the business environment, the labour market, human resources, skills improvement and health protection, as well as by increasing the economic activity of the Lithuanian people. Particular attention is paid to informing Lithuanian residents who intend to emigrate abroad about the risks of irregular migration and trafficking, and to informing those who have already left the country about opportunities if they return to Lithuania. Lithuania recognizes that effective return policies are required. For instance, we started a project aimed at the return of our scientists and doctors who work abroad and have observed a lively interest in it. Moreover, we have already seen some signs of return migration in the private sector due to its active development and economic growth and the subsequent increase in wages. In that context, Lithuania emphasizes its interest in promoting close international cooperation. It is important to exchange best practices in solving migration issues, as well as to create new mechanisms to ensure the positive influence of migration on development. We know that there is no single miracle solution to the problems we are discussing today. Therefore, we should encourage dialogue based on partnership and cooperation, involving all stakeholders and aimed at proper and effective solutions. I believe that our meeting today will be an important step in the right direction.

I now give the floor to His Excellency The Honourable Michael Browne, Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Gender Affairs, Non-Governmental Organizations Relations, Local Government and Persons with Disabilities of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

As this is the first time that I have the honour to address you in your current capacity, Madam, let me extend warm and sincere congratulations to you on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. The delegation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines extends best wishes for a successful tenure of office, and we offer our support of policies, programmes and practices that objectively advance the welfare of the disadvantaged of the world. This body is to be congratulated for frontally putting on the agenda the issue of international migration, contextualizing it within a developmental frame. We share the view of Secretary-General Annan, when he expressed the hope that this High-level Dialogue “will be a beginning, not an end”. Of course, there are precursors to this encounter since the matter has occupied international attention for a long time. However, it does allow the global community the opportunity to address the issue in a collective manner that could create the necessary political will, thereby permitting the mobilization of relevant and requisite resources. Although a tiny nation in the global scheme of things, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has a large historical and contemporary experience of migration. Our approach to the matter, deriving from that experience, is essentially humanist, and we humbly suggest that it is a philosophical prism through which the issue can be viewed. The complex dialectic of immigration and emigration, which constitutes migration, demands an appreciation of the context of the phenomenon. If we accept the thesis of push-pull factors at work, clearly we must also acknowledge the connection between underdevelopment and development; that the relatively high standard of living of developed countries cannot, in historical and contemporary terms, be separated from the low standard of living of underdeveloped and underdeveloping countries. That is why issues of economic exploitation, whatever the modus — trade imbalances, poor working conditions, low wages — are inseparable from the issue before us, and that is why the issue of reparations must be part of this Dialogue. The humanist perspective insists that the issue be addressed within the framework of a reconfiguration of the world’s resources. This is the axis on which the Dialogue must spin, if it is to have meaning. The effect otherwise would be to perpetuate an injustice against “The wretched of the earth”, to borrow the words of a Caribbean son, Frantz Fanon. The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines places no barriers on emigrants, persons wishing to leave our country, with the exception, naturally, of criminals. But, bearing in mind that emigrants include well-trained nationals, produced at considerable cost to our small nation, we subscribe to the view that appropriate protocols should be established. We in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were very involved in the development of the Commonwealth Teacher Recruitment Protocol adopted by Commonwealth Ministers of Education on 1 September 2004. Of note also, is the 18 May 2003, adoption of the Commonwealth Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health Workers. The matter of protocols must be a focal point of our discussion. Immigration is understandably complex, since it raises other issues, among which is security. In other contexts, though not in ours, the matter of xenophobia is of relevance. While we remain receptive to persons from all parts of the world, including retirees who enjoy the tranquillity and fine weather of our beloved homeland, we reserve the right of scrutiny and due diligence. That brings to the fore the issue of bilateral cooperation and agreement, and hence the international dimension. It is noteworthy that our country operates under the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which established the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy. That Treaty makes provision, under articles 45 and 46, for the movement of CARICOM nationals. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, we have passed the requisite legislation in support of certain categories of persons wishing to work and operate in our country. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines affirms its support for the intent and thrust of the April 2006 Brussels Declaration of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries on this issue. That Declaration addresses the gamut of issues from remittances to the repatriation of criminals. In conclusion, it is necessary for this Dialogue to continue and for us to implement, as speedily as possible, the recommendations of this encounter. In so doing, we must always bear in mind the conditions which give rise to the phenomenon which occupies our attention today.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Jean de Dieu Somda, Minister of Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso.

Madam, allow me at the outset to convey to you the warm and heartfelt congratulations of my delegation upon your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session, and to pledge to you the full cooperation of my delegation. The sixty-first session will go down in the annals of the United Nations because it is also the occasion of a first-ever High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. Burkina Faso, a country of emigration, is pleased that the High-level Dialogue is being held, as it provides a valuable opportunity for States to exchange views on their experiences in managing migration. It is also a framework for cooperation in such management, in order to do a better job addressing the phenomenon of migration. Burkina Faso, a nation of about 12 million people, has more than one third of its population living abroad. Burkina Faso emigration is essentially a phenomenon of youth between the ages of 15 and 30 years. My country is convinced that we will not manage migration flows through security or border control measures. It is rather by attacking the root causes of migration that we will find appropriate solutions to the problem. As migration and development are inextricably linked, it is now more urgent than ever to work to close the gap that separates developed countries from developing countries, and to strengthen peacebuilding and the building of political stability in order to manage migration flows, as well as to prevent conflicts. The countries of the North must take the migration aspect into account as an essential element in the financing of poverty reduction strategies. Developed countries must understand that the best way to limit the number of potential immigrants is to contribute to the development of their countries of origin. In that regard, we welcome the cooperation between Burkina Faso and the Republic of China on Taiwan. That cooperation has made possible the successful implementation of six national commitments made by President Blaise Compaore for the purpose of combating poverty and emigration by young people and women. My country is convinced that poverty and the shortage of jobs and sufficient opportunities for the future are the major causes of migration. For almost half a century, my country has been taking numerous steps to better manage migration at the national level. Those steps have included the May 1993 establishment of the Supreme Council of Burkinabé Abroad; the November 2004 adoption of a strategic framework to reduce poverty; the setting up of the Ministry of Youth and Employment, to deal specifically with promoting the employment of young people; and the creation of a ministry to address the question of technical and vocational training to meet the need of the labour market for qualified persons. We have also developed thousands of hectares of arable land and introduced small-scale irrigation, which will make it possible to plant off-season crops. Lastly, on 13 and 14 July 2006, Burkina Faso held a national symposium on migration whose main purpose was to develop a national policy on migration. It would be illusory to believe that we can halt migration in the current atmosphere of globalization. We should instead focus on managing it well, for it represents not just something negative but also a factor in development for countries of origin, transit and destination. Let us therefore seize the valuable opportunity provided by the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development to lay the foundations for cooperation that will promote concerted and responsible management of the phenomenon of migration. More than ever before, humanity is facing the momentous challenge of managing migration. Burkina Faso firmly believes, however, that with common determination and genuine cooperation between States and regional and international organizations, international migration will no longer be a scourge. Rather, it will be an important development factor for all our countries. We should therefore welcome the support of the International Organization for Migration, which has helped numerous African countries, including Burkina Faso, to better mobilize their diaspora populations to take part in national development. My country has great hopes for the High-level Dialogue, which is to produce relevant recommendations in the interests of our respective countries.

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Barbro Holmberg, Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy of Sweden.

Migration is a strong, positive force. When people travel, meet and exchange ideas, societies can make leaps forward in development. That force contributes to the elimination of poverty in the world and to reaching the Millennium Development Goals. Migrants are not victims; they are made victims by human smugglers and traffickers. To reach the full development potential of migration, we must fight those who treat people — men, women and children — as if they were goods on a market that can be sold to the highest bidder. We must fight discrimination and exploitation. Let me highlight five important issues for the Swedish Government. First, people living and working in a country, regardless of whether they are migrant workers or citizens, should have the same rights and the same obligations. To achieve that, I think, we need regular migration. By contrast, irregular migration leaves people in our societies with limited rights and no safety. Irregular migration also reveals the existence of a dual labour market, one for citizens and those with work permits and one for those without work permits. I therefore believe we must increase opportunities for legal migration. Only when a person legally resides in a country can he or she be guaranteed the same rights as citizens of that country. That should include the right to family reunification, full access to the labour market and full access to the social security system. I think that, if employers or we in the rich countries need labour, we should be ready to pay for it. It is a question not only of managing migration, but also of values and human rights. The second point I would like to make is that the root causes of forced migration cannot be solved by migration policy or border controls alone. We need progressive development policies. We all know that freer and fairer trade and agricultural policy have a far- reaching effect on development and poverty reduction in the world. It is every Government’s obligation to create a society where women and men can build a future. It is also an international responsibility to create a more equal world. I am very proud that Sweden will this year reach the target of devoting one per cent of its gross domestic product to development assistance. Thirdly, the right to asylum must be preserved. Those in need of international protection must have access to a safe haven. Our borders have to stay open. We must ensure that the measures taken to curb irregular migration do not prevent refugees from gaining the international protection that they are entitled to. Fourthly, it should be easier for people to move from one country to another and back. We know that people bring knowledge. There is a brain gain. It is a huge challenge to make sure that all countries benefit from that, and not only receiving countries. I think circular migration is the key to its promotion. Finally, I believe that the High-level Dialogue is not the end of a process; it is the beginning. We can no longer address migration at the national and regional levels alone. The tools we have at our disposal are not enough. I believe it to be crucial for States to have a forum where we can continue this process in a constructive way, as well as on the global level. That forum should be intergovernmental, open-ended, consultative and non-decision-making in character. Sweden fully supports the idea put forward this morning by the Secretary-General. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Government of Belgium for its offer to organize the first meeting of such a forum.

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Alicia Muñoz, Minister of Government of the Republic of Bolivia.

At the outset, on behalf of the delegation of Bolivia, I would like to extend my congratulations to you, Madam President, on your election to preside over this important debate. We are convinced that, under your wise leadership, we will succeed in our undertaking. It is estimated that 20 per cent of Bolivia’s estimated population of 10 million people — which is to say, 2 million Bolivians — reside outside the country. In recent decades, the end-points of migration flows have become more diverse as demand for labour has changed in receiving countries. At the European Parliament and in a meeting in Vienna in March of this year, Bolivia’s President Evo Morales underscored that migration is a structural component of the economic inequality between countries. As a country comprised primarily of indigenous peoples and headed by its first indigenous President, who was freely and democratically elected, Bolivia sees a need to emphasize the effects of migration on indigenous and rural communities. Migration has a fundamental impact on the economic, social and cultural foundations of exchange and complementarity upon which the organizational structures of rural and native economies are based. Entire communities have been depopulated throughout vast areas, and the management of their natural resources, their development and the strengthening of their identities have been deeply affected as a result. Migration has an indigenous face insofar as Bolivians are concerned. While it is true that foreign remittances have important economic benefits, they also have a negative impact in that they undermine the structure of indigenous communities and villages. In addition, they entail a social cost since, owing to the liberalization of the economy, which accelerates the onset of the market economy, employment and exploitation are globalized, whereas salaries, human rights and citizens’ rights are not. Emigrants are treated as merchandise, and the freedom to move or to transfer between countries is criminalized. It is therefore important that we consider intercultural factors and take comprehensive human rights approaches. Hence the significance of this major event organized by the United Nations. There can be no doubt about the right to emigrate, which has been enshrined in international conventions and treaties. We do question, however, the absence of regulatory mechanisms and normative processes in the countries that receive cheap labour: for example, the supply of cheap labour is higher when there is greater demand for temporary or seasonal work. We must also consider migration from the perspective of women. It is no longer appropriate in international forums to continue to analyse how the treatment of and trafficking in human beings has a greater impact on women; how sexual and labour exploitation is the second most lucrative business after drug trafficking; and how criminal groups and organizations find legitimacy in receiving countries. We therefore call for the adoption of legal measures to put an end to the demand that fosters the trade in human beings. Bolivia has legal instruments at its disposal to combat crimes associated with human smuggling and trafficking, an issue to which it is devoting its efforts. To that end, we recently established an inter-ministerial commission on migration in which migrants and representatives from civil society organizations and indigenous peoples work alongside the Government. We therefore believe that it is important for receiving countries to put in place effective cooperation mechanisms and to establish policies leading to the ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and other human rights treaties. In line with the indigenous principle of “in order to live well”, the Government of Bolivia is developing economic policies aimed at bringing about broad structural reforms that will re-energize production and produce employment. Bolivia is enormously rich in natural resources and has plenty of land. It has an indigenous President who is prepared to regain the dignity and sovereignty of our people. We hope that our people will never again have to leave their homes, families, villages, communities, language, dress and everything else that makes up our cultural identity.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Manpower of Singapore.

The forces of globalization have in recent years escalated and forged closer economic integration among countries. The same processes that started with the ease of movement of capital and goods across borders have now also enabled labour mobility on a massive scale. As is now clearly evident, those migratory trends have both short- and long-term consequences for both the source and receiving countries. The High-level Dialogue therefore provides a timely opportunity to discuss international migration and its impact on economic and social development. As a small city-State heavily dependent on global trade, Singapore has always welcomed foreign manpower to bolster our total workforce, which is now at about 2.4 million people. Today, more than one in four workers in Singapore is a foreigner. Without the contribution of foreign manpower, our economic growth would have been stymied by labour and skills shortages. We are a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of people from different continents, who bring with them diverse ethnicities, cultures and customs. But because of our limited size and small population, we allow foreigners to work in Singapore in a regulated manner through a work pass and visa framework with established rules and criteria. While Singapore is supportive of greater openness and global integration, like other countries we are also mindful of the economic, social and security implications of irregular migration. We therefore have a tough stance against immigration offenders and those involved in human smuggling and trafficking. To keep irregular migration at bay, we have a multipronged approach, with measures ranging from the enactment of deterrent laws to stringent enforcement. Penalties against illegal trafficking or deployment of foreign workers are punitive. For example, human traffickers face jail terms of up to five years under our Immigration Act. Foreign nationals under our work pass system are protected under Singapore’s laws and, in some situations, accorded even greater protection than locals. For example, we have enhanced our Penal Code to increase by one-and-a-half times the penalties for acts of abuse against foreign domestic workers by their employers. That is to send a clear signal that foreign workers have benefits and rights under our law. To ensure that lower-skilled foreign workers understand and are able to assert their rights, we have stepped up promotional and outreach efforts to inform them of the available channels of assistance. Various administrative and assistance measures have also been implemented to protect migrant workers from abuse, unfair practices and exploitation. For foreign domestic workers in particular, we have introduced further protection measures, which include compulsory orientation courses for employers and workers, tighter regulation of recruitment agencies and strict enforcement against employment infringements and abuse. As migration transcends national borders, collective efforts at the regional and global levels are required to reinforce national capacities for understanding and managing migration issues. Source countries can do their part in establishing measures to educate migrant workers in their rights and responsibilities and curb exploitative recruitment practices. Dialogue between source and receiving countries can also strengthen cooperation and enhance the regulation of migration. This United Nations Dialogue can facilitate the benefits of labour migration by articulating a common framework that fosters understanding and places appropriate responsibilities on source and receiving countries and other stakeholders.

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Garba Lompo, President of the Human Rights Commission of Niger.

First of all, I would like to convey warm congratulations to the General Assembly from His Excellency Mr. Tandja Mamadou, President of the Republic of Niger. Also, on behalf of my delegation, and in my own name, I would like to convey to you, Madam President, our sincere congratulations on the skill with which you are directing this meeting. Finally, I wish to say how happy I am to be participating in this important meeting and to be adding the contribution of my country, Niger, to the effort of the international community to find solutions to the thorny problems of international migration. In these early years of the twenty-first century, the phenomenon of migration is increasingly assuming disturbing proportions, due in particular to massive displacements of individuals with their often dramatic consequences. To meet this economic, social, political and security challenge, migration must be better coordinated through capacity-building in the relevant services. One of the major problems besetting our States in general, and Niger in particular, lies in the drastic lack of means to combat this phenomenon more effectively. We should point out here that because of its pivotal position between sub-Saharan and North Africa, its porous borders and its limited means or action, Niger has to contend with substantial migratory flows. This phenomenon is very acute all along its borders where there is a convergence of drug traffickers, armed bandits and, above all, clandestine migrants from different places. The routes taken by those migrants are so many in number that Niger has practically become an open door for tens of thousands of would-be immigrants. The emergence and development of transit migration promotes reflexes and behaviours which, if we are not careful, give rise to the emergence of groups or networks prepared to exploit the misery of those poor migrants in their desperate quest for happiness. What we are seeing is, so to speak, the emergence of an uncivil society living by illicit means. This situation, you will agree, can only lead to a vicious circle of tragedies inherent in uncontrolled migrations, including trafficking in human beings. Buffeted by poverty, driven by the illusion of finding better job prospects, migrants often become easy prey for criminal groups that specialize in human trafficking. The question of persons in transit then forms part of an even more vast and far more worrisome problem. It is very difficult to know whether an individual is the victim of trafficking when he or she is in transit. Thus, transit migration must be approached within the broader context of the protection of fundamental rights and as an integral part of efforts to combat trafficking, both nationally and internationally. The issue of transit migration needs to be analysed in order to find lasting solutions at the human, economic and security levels. It raises the importance of developing and implementing mechanisms based on the responsibility of States, whether the country of origin, the country of destination or the transit country. Niger, which is a country of transit migration, is aware of the role that falls to it in joint action to ensure respect for and protection of the rights of migrants and to prevent and combat clandestine immigration and trafficking in human beings. In other words, Niger will deal with migration with all the requisite attention and resolve in the broader framework of subregional, regional and international cooperation. In that regard, and very concretely, Niger would suggest the establishment of an efficient mechanism to combat clandestine immigration and trafficking in human beings. Such a mechanism would involve implementing on the ground a policy of respecting and protecting the rights of migrant workers and combating human trafficking. There can be no guarantee that the rights of all migrant workers will be durably respected and protected unless we design and implement bold policies within bilateral and multilateral cooperative frameworks. It is in that way — and it is in that way alone — that we shall be able together to find the means to effectively and sustainably combat the phenomenon of clandestine immigration.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Hamid Awaluddin, Minister for Law and Human Rights of Indonesia.

Allow me, on behalf of the Indonesian delegation, to congratulate Her Excellency Ms. Al-Khalifa on her election as the sixty- first President of the General Assembly. The Indonesian delegation will continue to do its utmost to support her and promote fruitful discussions at the sixty-first session of the General Assembly on this important issue. We also wish to thank the Secretary-General for facilitating the necessary preparations for this Dialogue, and for the submission of his comprehensive report entitled “International migration and development” (A/60/871). Indonesia as a sending, receiving and transit country welcomes today’s historic Dialogue. We sincerely hope that this Dialogue will bring us closer to better coherence, coordination and cooperation on migration. Migration issues should not divide but unite us. In the view of my delegation, that is the significance of this High-level Dialogue. In this context, we are of the view that there is a need to understand in greater detail the impacts and the multidimensional nature of migration. That would require the development of a comprehensive global research and database system. We can subscribe to the proposal of establishing a global forum at the United Nations, so long as it involves all Member States, complements the regional efforts of Governments supported by relevant international organizations, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and takes into consideration the inputs of civil society, the business sector and non-governmental organizations. The High-level Dialogue must promote the formulation of a common and global set of priorities in view of the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and to ensure the effective coordination of Government efforts at the national, regional and international levels, with the support of relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. Our efforts to ensure the protection of human dignity often are so easily overshadowed not only by economic and financial considerations, but also by acts of prejudice and ignorance. Protecting human dignity should not be restricted by shortsighted concerns perceived at the borders. Migrants with the hope of a better life abroad should not have to become prey to clandestine criminal groups. For Indonesia, ensuring the orderly flow and protection of migrant workers continues to be a top priority. We have begun stepping up national coordination efforts not only with relevant ministries, but also with civil society, non-governmental organizations and the business sector. Having adopted Legislation 39/2004 on the protection and placement of Indonesian migrant workers, we are in the process of establishing a national body, under the direct supervision of the President, for the purpose of better managing the flow of Indonesian migrants through an institutional mechanism. We are currently in the final stages of adopting new legislation that combats trafficking in persons. Indonesia endorses migration policies that empower migrants. Such policies should enable them to capitalize on entrepreneurship programmes through microfinance and simultaneously to enhance the role of diasporas. We also subscribe to the importance of temporary and circulatory migration programmes with a view to enhancing the benefit of international migration not only for the host and origin countries, but also and particularly for migrants and their families. In today’s debate on international migration, we have been made aware of its apparent advantages, including migrant remittances, which have contributed, among other things, to the alleviation of poverty and hunger. Bilaterally, the Indonesian Government has established agreements not only with receiving countries, but also among migrant sending countries. Indonesia has been proactive in approaching sending countries to better protect our migrants abroad. At the regional level, Indonesia has in fact conducted and collaborated actively in several regional forums, not only in the Association of South-East Asian Nations, but with other countries in Asia and the Pacific. Through informal regional consultative processes, such as the Colombo Process and the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, Indonesia has taken the concept of dialogue and coordination to new levels of common understanding and action-oriented activities. To that end, Indonesia and Australia, as co-chairs of the Bali Process, are proud to submit contributions to the High-level Dialogue and future negotiations. Just yesterday, a side event was organized by the co-chairs to the participants of this Dialogue to share the experiences of the Bali Process and on how to enhance cooperation with other processes in the future. Much has been attained, and what remains are hopes for some practical concrete actions that will pave the way for future cooperation, coordination and collaboration among all Governments on the issue of international migration for development for the simple purpose of maintaining human dignity and ensuring the welfare of our transnational migrants and their families. The President of the General Assembly may rest assured that Indonesia will continue to lend her its support on this noble cause.

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Mrs. Emilia Maslarova, Minister of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria welcomes the convening of the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development as a necessary and timely step. Bulgaria fully supports the position of the European Union delegation expressed at this forum. We share the opinion that migration can contribute to achieving a higher level of economic and social development. The Dialogue provides an opportunity to incorporate the international migration issue into the agenda for development within the framework of the Millennium Declaration. It is important that our discussion continue after the High-level Dialogue has ended. It will provide us all with a beneficial exchange of experience. We feel that the duplication of structures and activities should be avoided. It would be useful to direct efforts towards better coordination between the existing structures and forums of the United Nations and the other international organizations working in that field. As an external border country of the European Union from January 2007 on, Bulgaria is very interested in the creation of instruments for the integrated management of migration processes. In that regard, we are ready to cooperate at all levels in compliance with the common European Union policy and practice. From the viewpoint of its national experience, Bulgaria attaches great importance to the regional approach to cooperation in the field of migration and development. As a very good example in that regard, we can point to the Rabat process. The issue of statistics is an important element of national migration policies. To that end, we have conducted a sociological study on emigration attitudes among the adult population in Bulgaria. The High-level Dialogue is the first international forum at which we are presenting preliminary data provided by the research of Gallup International in August 2006. The study has been distributed to members of the Assembly. The results show that the number of citizens willing to emigrate for the long term has fallen by half to approximately 15,000-16,000. During the first year of Bulgaria’s European Union membership, fewer than 4,000 people intend to seek work in European Union member States. Where do Bulgarians want to work? First on their list of preferences is Spain, followed by Germany, the United States of America, Greece, Great Britain, and Canada. A norm for the migration behaviour of Bulgarian citizens is coming into focus and is comparable to that of the average European Union citizen. That fact is a result of the stable economy and the low unemployment rate in our country, currently at 8.76 per cent. To conclude, let me emphasize once again that Bulgaria fully supports positive migration that can contribute to the full achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, as formulated in the Millennium Declaration.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Dato’ Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia.

The convening of this meeting is both important and timely, given the increasing prominence that the issue of migration and development will play in the coming years, as well as the increasing complexity of that phenomenon. As a country that is strategically located in the South-East Asian region and which has enjoyed sustained economic growth, Malaysia is all too aware of the role that migration can play in the development process and the difficulties that it poses. For Malaysia, the key challenge is to balance the need to maximize the economic benefits derived from migration and the desire to protect the interests of all concerned. We believe that the key to achieving that is to ensure the orderly management of migrant flows. In that regard, Malaysia’s foreign worker policy is premised on the need to manage migration in cooperation with source countries in order to achieve mutual benefits. As part of those efforts, the Malaysian Government has instituted the following measures. First, we have signed bilateral memorandums of understanding with seven source countries — Sri Lanka, the People’s Republic of China, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia — on the recruitment of foreign labour. Secondly, we are promoting international cooperation, including at the regional level; in the context of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), there is active cooperation involving the foreign-workers-related agencies of ASEAN members. Thirdly, we are improving monitoring and supervising systems, as well as enforcement and preventive measures in accordance with the relevant laws of Malaysia. Finally, Malaysia conducted two amnesty exercises in 2002 and 2004, when illegal immigrants were repatriated to their home countries at the Malaysian Government’s expense. In ensuring the effectiveness of measures to regulate the orderly flow of migration, the legitimate concerns of receiving and sending countries alike must be reflected. In the case of Malaysia, the increasing numbers of migrant workers have given rise to cases of highly communicable diseases, such as hepatitis B, tuberculosis and leprosy, all of which were previously under control or eradicated altogether. At the same time, the number of crimes committed by migrants has increased three-fold, rising from 1,333 in 1992 to 3,113 in 2002. We are concerned that the statistics show that up to 40 per cent of crimes committed by migrants were violent ones. Malaysia has taken various preventive measures to curb illegal migration, including through the introduction of a biometric system. Using that system, the details of outgoing illegal immigrants, as well as of new incoming legal foreign workers, are recorded in the Immigration Department’s database as reference against illegal entries and other immigration offences. Such information is vital to ensuring that the welfare of foreign workers in the country are safeguarded, as well as to assisting authorities against criminal and terrorist activities carried out by migrants. In the same vein, the issue of remittances is a crucial one for migrants. In that connection, I wish to emphasize that Malaysia imposes no restriction on workers’ remitting money back home. In 2002, 1.2 million foreign workers remitted $640 million. In 2005, 1.8 million foreign workers remitted $768 million. As to the human rights of migrants, despite isolated cases of abuse, foreign workers enjoy full protection of their human rights under Malaysian law. Like other countries, Malaysia is concerned over the issue of trafficking in persons. While we have sufficient laws to deal with that problem and are also in the process of enacting specific legislation to address it, we note that two major difficulties exist. One is the difficulty of distinguishing between genuine victims and those who knowingly allow themselves to be trafficked for economic gain. The second is the lack of resources for destination countries to repatriate the victims on a voluntary basis. I would like to conclude by touching on the issue of the follow-up to the High-level Dialogue. As a firm believer in the multilateral process, we believe that the United Nations is the best forum for discussing global issues, which include international migration and development. At the same time, clarity is required in the follow-up process itself so that it will not be duplicative and ineffective. We therefore have an open mind on that issue and look forward to playing a constructive role in the ensuing discussions.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Minister of the Interior of Pakistan.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today representing Pakistan at a forum in which issues of tremendous importance are being addressed. We have come together looking for innovative solutions and ideas to better manage migration and address the needs of our peoples and our countries. We would like to place on record Pakistan’s deep appreciation and admiration of the initiative taken by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Pakistan attaches great importance to the High- level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. It provides a unique opportunity to the international community to build common approaches to promoting coherence between migration and development and to identify ways to increase the development benefits of migration and reduce its negative impact. We wish to align ourselves with the statement made by the Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Migration in an interdependent world has benefits for sending and receiving countries alike. That requires cooperation among countries at the bilateral, regional and global levels to address the issues of immediate concern. The unprecedented level of attendance at this Dialogue and the focus and attention it has generated on migration issues must be used to lay the foundation for a sustained dialogue and enhanced international cooperation on migration and development. While recognizing the potential of migration to contribute to world development, it is important also to recognize the need to establish adequate and transparent mechanisms to channel migration in a safe, legal, humane and orderly manner in order to combat irregular migration and prevent enabling conditions for organized crime and the exploitation of people. The protection of the rights of migrants and victims of trafficking is of great concern to us. The Government of Pakistan will work with other countries to ensure the well-being and dignity of its migrants and to insist on the dignified return of its nationals, where required. We attach great importance to the implementation of existing United Nations and International Labour Organization conventions on the protection of migrant workers. Interestingly, the preparatory process for the High-level Dialogue has already made a significant contribution by moving the migration and development debate to a higher plane. In Pakistan, we take a holistic view of the whole issue when formulating our migration policy. The ongoing consultative process involves representatives of Government, civil society and international organizations. A two-day inter- ministerial conference was organized on 29 and 30 August 2006, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration; it resulted in inputs from all stakeholders for an integrated and cohesive response from Pakistan at this important Dialogue on migration and development. Pakistan is happy to see international migration issues move up on the global agenda. We strongly favour more intense international cooperation and collaboration on international migration to enhance its development impact. Our task, through this Dialogue, is to develop a coherent approach to effectively deal with the challenges and opportunities associated with the large movement of migrants across national frontiers and between continents, and to optimize the development impact of this phenomenon. Pakistan believes that without the requisite machinery and institutional support, it will be difficult to advance the objective of generating and sustaining the much- needed coherence and coordination on migration issues. We would therefore favour building on existing arrangements to further the global dialogue on migration and development. In our view, one way of doing that would be to allow the Global Migration Group to meet inter-governmentally under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. We are here today with a renewed commitment to continue to work together with the rest of the membership to strengthen the process in order to utilize migration for the betterment of our peoples. Let us remember today that in our united efforts we must bear in mind that, ultimately, we want the best for our fellow human beings and for our countries. That can be achieved only if we work together positively, recognizing the importance of migration in our lives and in our world. Let us commit ourselves to growth and betterment, not only for ourselves but for each other. I am sure that together we can make a great difference.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ali S. J. Errishi, Secretary of Expatriate, Immigrant and Refugee Affairs of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Ambassador Al-Khalifa on her election as President of the sixty- first session of the General Assembly. I am also delighted that an Arab woman holds that high office in the service of peace, security and prosperity. We are fully confident that she has the wisdom and experience to guide us through this Dialogue, which seeks to make the role of migration in development even stronger. I would also like to take this opportunity to express our support for the statement that the Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa has delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The fact we are holding this Dialogue at such a high level reflects the extent to which the international community recognizes the important role that migration plays in international relations. Throughout history, migration has helped to create and sustain fruitful contacts among various peoples and cultures. There is no doubt that migration has contributed to the free commerce of ideas and experiences, and there is no doubt that it has been one of the main engines of material and intellectual progress in our world. However, migration into sovereign spaces cannot be constructive unless the cultural, legal and political realities which define those sovereign spaces are taken into account. Ignoring that fact will have nothing but negative consequences on the important role that migration plays in bringing peoples of the world closer together. While migration contributes to the increase in the rates of intellectual and economic growth of many countries, it can also at times be a serious challenge to other countries. It is therefore imperative that we agree on realistic mechanisms that recognize the right of sovereign States to protect their borders and that, at the same time, respect the human rights of immigrants. The cost of chaotic, illegal migration is much greater than its benefits. It may even at times threaten the national security of certain countries. For when the number of illegal immigrants reaches a certain limit, the citizens of the country in question begin to feel that their economic, social and cultural interests are at risk. In that event, political and social tensions begin to emerge, which in turn may lead to instability and civil unrest. Also, when the market of a given country cannot absorb large numbers of illegal immigrants and, thus provide them with jobs, some of those immigrants tend to engage in illicit economic activities such as drug trafficking, organized crime, theft and trafficking in human beings. It is for those reasons that my country has committed itself to the view that the problem of illegal immigration cannot be solved without dealing with its root causes. We have consistently called on the international community to live up to its responsibilities and to contribute to the economic development of the countries from which immigrants flow. The flow of illegal immigrants can only come to an end through sustainable development and long-term investment, which will create jobs that offer decent wages. It is in the pursuit of that plan that my country believes that it is important to have an African- European summit to discuss and find sustainable solutions to the problem of illegal immigration — solutions that would protect the rights, security and dignity of legal immigrants while at the same time creating conditions which will save millions of people from subjecting themselves to the dangers and indignities of illegal migration. Towards that end, I am happy to announce that my country is working to organize a meeting for African and European ministers to discuss migration and development. I would also like to mention that, as a part of its commitment to the economic integration of the countries in the African Union, Libya has invested in agricultural and industrial projects in a number of African countries. My country has also contributed to the funding of a number of development projects in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. For example, my country has invested in five projects in some of the countries in the Sahel and Sahara grouping. Studies are also under way to expand that programme to include seven other African countries. In addition to that, in December of 2005 my country announced the establishment of the Qadhafi Project for African Youth, Children and Women, in cooperation with the appropriate international organizations. The aim of that project is to help end poverty, hunger and disease, to spread education and to train African women while helping to protect their rights. Finally, I would like to say that we agree with what the Secretary-General states in his report (A/60/871), that immigration is not a process in which one party obtains a comparative advantage at the expense of other parties. Indeed, in my country there are more than a million immigrants who work in various sectors of our economy and make more than $2 billion a year, a good part of which goes back to their families in their countries of origin.

I now give the floor to His Excellency The Honourable Doug Shane Gibson, Minister of Immigration, Labour and Training of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas welcomes the holding of this High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, which brings international migration in all its many facets to the table for discussion and dialogue among Member States. The Bahamas would like to align itself with statements made by the Minister of Home Affairs South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Bahamas fully supports the establishment of a better way to match the supply with the demand for migration in a safe, legal, humane and orderly way, in order to maximize the societal and human development potential of global labour mobility with the development of public and private stakeholders. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is an archipelagic nation with 700 islands and more than 2,000 limestone- formed islets and cays. Our southernmost island, Inagua, is 60 miles north-east of Cuba, while Bimini is only 50 miles south-east of Florida. The territorial waters of the Bahamas are some 100,000 square miles and its land mass is 5,400 square miles. Thirty of our islands are inhabited, and we have a total population of approximately 308,000, almost two thirds of whose members reside in our capital, New Providence. The preceding remarks were designed not only to sensitize Member States as to how small we are in size and population, but to also make them aware of how vulnerable we are in terms of policing our vast borders. The Bahamas has an economy which is based principally on tourism and financial services, with very small inputs from the agricultural and industrial sectors. We welcome more than 5 million visitors annually, and the financial sector is mainly composed of foreign banks. It is evident, therefore, that migration has positively impacted the Bahamas in many respects. However, as noted in the report of the Secretary- General (A/60/871), there are many challenges in managing migration, including the prevention of irregular or unauthorized migration. In this connection, the negative side of migration for the Bahamas is that for the past 60 years we have been plagued with illegal migration. In addition to the normal regularization of non-citizens for visits, business, employment, family, education, training, asylum, et cetera, a large number enter by simply running their vessels aground in shallow waters and taking up residence with the assistance of non-citizens, with or without status, who are already in the country. Illegal immigrants then become a serious burden on the social and educational services of the country because their numbers are not taken into account when we are planning for new schools and health services. The end result is that institutions are not able to adequately accommodate the citizens and legal residents for whom they were built. Illegal immigrants also become a serious national security issue because some of those who enter our country are either convicted criminals or fugitives from justice. For these and many other reasons, it is necessary for States to implement comprehensive migration policies and have constant dialogue with neighbouring States in order to establish workable solutions for matters of mutual concern that affect them. Opportunities in our country have provided a comfortable standard of living for citizens and legal migrants. However, no country can feel totally safe when there are significant numbers of strangers within its borders who are also reaping benefits designed only for its taxpaying public. In that respect, irregular migration has for many years negatively impacted the Bahamas. During our brief stay in New York, we will begin a dialogue with relevant States with a view to coming up with workable solutions to these most vexing problems. We would like to again welcome this forum to allow Member States to discuss matters that concern us all. I thank members for their attention; it is my sincere hope that we can all work together to come up with workable solutions to ease the burden of illegal migration on receiving States.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Eric Solheim, Minister of International Development of Norway.

Hardly any force is changing the world as rapidly as the force of migration. Allow me to speak on a personal note for a little while. When I was a young boy in Norway, not so many centuries ago, and Norway was an all-white — or maybe I should say all-pink — society and an all- Christian society, I myself and my comrades would very gladly have paid an entrance fee to see most of the people in this Hall today. I had hardly ever seen anyone from Sri Lanka, my second homeland, or anyone from Africa. Now my children are running around in exactly the same streets, and their best friends come from China, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. What a change. And of course similar changes are going on all over the globe. The contribution of this meeting here in New York today is to put migration at the top of the global agenda, where it should stay, as one of the main topics of the world today. Some say that we should not discuss this subject at the United Nations. Others reply, “What else should we discuss at the United Nations, if we should not discuss the main issues of the day?”, or “If we should not discuss it at the United Nations, then where else should we discuss the matter of immigration and emigration?” I think it is also absolutely pertinent that migration is being discussed in the city of New York, which, for Norwegians, was the first place they met a foreign country when we had our huge wave of migration 75 or 100 years back. Today, there are as many Norwegians or people of Norwegian origin in the United States as there are in our own country. And where they put their feet on foreign soil was right here in New York, many of them on Ellis Island. So New York is the right place to start the international debate on migration. I would also thank the Secretary-General for the way he has put migration on the international agenda, which is with a sense of optimism. We all know there are problems. There are the problems of trafficking, abuse and brain drain; there are so many problems related to migration. But at its core, it is a positive development, making life better for so many people that most migrants are winners in today’s world of globalization. Basically, nearly all aspects of migration are positive. So we should face this debate with optimism, not as an area mainly characterized by problems. It is in that spirit that we approaching the issue today, which, from our perspective, is very good. I will be honest: the debate on migration in Norway, as a new country receiving migrants, has for the past two decades basically been a debate on how to integrate people. That is an important debate and a debate that will continue. But we have hardly faced the other debate, which is the link between migration and development. That is the new debate which has been put on the international agenda. The very close relationship between migration and development has been an eye-opener for us. We want to approach this issue with a twofold approach. First, in a migrant’s country of origin, there should be a choice. People should have a choice between migrating and staying, which means that whatever can be done to assist in the process of development should be done. Norway is approaching the target of directing 1 per cent of our gross national product towards development aid, and we are close to reaching it. The Swedes may be ahead of us, but we want to reach that aim in the very near future — that is part of our contribution to development. That is one choice. There are others. When people come to the recipient country, they should have rights. They should have rights with regard to the labour market and human rights, and they should be offered decent work. Therefore, choice and rights would be our approach to the new debate on how to link development and migration. We also note that there should be a particular emphasis on the matter of women and children. We tend to believe that migrants are men, while the United Nations Population Fund and others remind us firmly that half of the migrants are women. Women tend also to be more easily abused in the process of migration. Thus, the issues related to women and children should be in the forefront of the migration debate. When approaching migration issues we should be practical, as opposed to discussing theories surrounding migration. The practical debate that we will engage in with our immigrant communities concerns the issue of remittances; what can the Governments of the international system do to put pressure on the banking system to introduce more competition in order to reduce the cost of remittances? It is a shame that some people are paying 20 per cent of the amount they want to send back to their relatives, to the people transferring the money. Those transfer costs should be reduced and we should be part of that process. Finally, looking forward, migration must have its place on the global agenda. We fully support the global forum, and we pay tribute to the Government of Belgium for being ready to hold future events in that regard. We will be able to listen to all of the advice from the International Organization for Migration and the International Labour Organization, and from Governments which have much more experience than Norway in this field. But the entire process has been an eye-opener to us. We are at the beginning of the process, not at the end. I would end by paraphrasing a well-known phrase of Churchill, from the Second World War, which I think also describes where we stand in the debate on migration today: this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end; but what you are seeing here today may be the end of the beginning of the debate on migration.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Athauda Seneviratne, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka.

Let me begin by conveying the greetings of the President and the people of Sri Lanka to all the participants attending the High- level Dialogue. The High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development will help us to identify appropriate ways and means to maximize the development benefits arising out of migration phenomena. We are pleased that international migration has come to the top of the global agenda this year, and it is our expectation that this trend will continue so that we can address all aspects of the issue in a more comprehensive manner. We are pleased that there is an emerging global consensus that labour migration is a positive force for development. As rightly highlighted in the Secretary-General’s report, there is a convergence of views that migration is a development-friendly phenomenon, benefiting both countries of origin and destination. Remittances to developing countries are now more than three times the volume of overseas aid, and close behind the level of global foreign direct investment. The overseas diaspora also represents a development resource for the home country for promoting investments, transfer of skills and stimulating exports for development. We are also concerned that the focus of the meeting and the current international emphasis on issues connected to migration has not placed adequate emphasis on the need for a rights-based approach to international migration. We have also failed to define clearly the linkages between economic growth and sustainable development and migration, and more work is needed in this regard. There are a number of other matters for consideration. For example, policies in developed countries continue to favour the admission of skilled workers rather than low-skilled workers. Developing countries can ill afford such a brain drain, as the loss of trained manpower skills affects the level and quality of services needed in education and health care in the country of origin. At the same time, the protection and treatment of workers is an issue of concern. There are countless stories of victims of trafficking, female domestic workers in forced labour situations, non- payment of wages, poor conditions of work and growing racism and discrimination. Women migrant workers are particularly vulnerable, and it must not be forgotten that they represent about half of the global migrant workforce. In some diaspora communities we have also observed the emergence of illegal activities and extortion of the migrants for purposes of funding insurgent movements and terrorism in their home countries. Clearly, there is a need for increased international cooperation. There is already a robust body of key United Nations and international conventions, which spell out a normative framework for principles and good practices in respect of labour migration. In that regard, we call upon all States to ratify, in particular, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990). The ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration can also serve as a politically binding and valuable guide. In addition, in order to curb illegal migration, opportunities must be provided for legal migration. If we are to promote international migration as an instrument of global development, we also need the participation of all stakeholders — Governments, social partners, civil society and migrants themselves — in migration policymaking. The international community also needs to achieve greater coherence and coordination in its approaches. I am happy to note that a Global Migration Group has already been formed and that the Secretary-General has proposed a consultative global migration forum at the United Nations. In conclusion, I would like to note that migration and development is only one element among the issues pertaining to migration and development. Let us use this High-level Dialogue to evolve a win-win situation for origin and destination countries, as well as for the migrants themselves. And it is imperative that we continue the dialogue on all migration issues at the highest levels, for that purpose.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ze’ev Boim, Minister of Immigrant Absorption of Israel.

As the Secretary-General said in his remarks this morning, international migration today cries out for a global discussion. Indeed this is an important forum, and I look forward to our discussions in the coming days. Israel is an immigrant country. Since its establishment, waves of immigrants have arrived on its shores, carrying with them the hopes and dreams of a better future. For 2,000 years, the vast majority of Jews lived outside of Israel and could only pray to return to their homeland. The gathering of the Jewish people in their own land through immigration is central to the national ethos of the Jewish people. Indeed, the Israeli immigrant experience is the very story of the modern Jewish State. Today, Israel’s population is over 7 million people — of those 7 million, 27.5 per cent are foreign born. Those “ascending” to Israel from Russia, Ethiopia, France and South America, as well as a host of other countries, experience a process in Israel specifically tailored to their needs, which better facilitates their successful absorption into society. In Israel, immigrant integration begins with learning Hebrew, the national language. Multiple frameworks exist for studying Hebrew, ranging from full-time schools to online courses. Financial assistance is also provided for immigrants. The average newcomer, with a wife and two children, receives an “absorption basket”, with a value of $10,000, for living expenses during their first six months in the country. These subsidized months give immigrants the opportunity to use their first half-year in Israel to learn Hebrew, find a job, rent an apartment and prepare themselves for their new lives. Satisfactory employment for immigrants also remains a critical concern for Israel. In recent years, Israel has absorbed vastly differing groups of immigrants; some coming with advanced degrees and highly developed, technical skills, while others arrive illiterate in their native language. As such, vocational assistance is available for new immigrants in a variety of programmes. These include licensing and qualifying courses, vocational training and employment centres offering career guidance, placement services and individual assistance. Israel’s public and private sectors have particularly benefited from immigrants. Since the beginning of the 1990s, Israel has welcomed large waves of newcomers, primarily from the former Soviet Union — among them, many doctors, engineers and scientists. Many artists, writers and musicians also immigrated at that time, leading to a dramatic enrichment in arts and culture. Throughout all this, Israel has tried to respect the indigenous culture of the immigrant communities. The outcome has been the growth of a rich society built on a tapestry of multiculturalism, pluralism and tolerance. Very special relations exist between Israel and the Jewish communities around the world. As a result, Israel has experience on how to nurture partnerships between Diaspora and origin communities. In that regard, Israel works with international partners to share this information and cooperate on a variety of levels. Like other countries, Israel also faces challenges presented by the tragic growth of human trafficking. Trafficking is a crime that imperils the lives of those subjected to it. As a signatory to both the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementary Protocol on Trafficking in Persons, Israel continues to work in this area and combat trafficking. Israel is wholeheartedly committed to welcoming immigrants and fully integrating them into society while respecting their cultural heritage. Israel will work with international partners to maximize the societal and human development potential of the global labour market. Indeed, Israel’s commitment to bettering the migrant experience is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition. As it is written in the Bible, Exodus, chapter 23, verse 9, “And you know the soul of the stranger, because you too were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Paul Antoine Bohoun Bouabré, Minister of State, Minister of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire.

I wish, on behalf of Côte d’Ivoire, to express my gratitude for the opportunity to participate in this High- level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. Côte d’Ivoire is traditionally a country marked by intense international and internal migration. More than two out of five persons living in Côte d’Ivoire are migrants. The majority of immigrants are men — 58 per cent of the population. The number of migrant women is, however, increasing. Another characteristic of immigrants is that they tend to be of working age: 62.5 per cent are between the ages of 15 and 40. As a general rule, international migrations are driven by economic reasons. Whether rural or urban, men or women — migrants are usually looking for something better — a well-paying job and a lifestyle conducive to self-fulfilment. International and internal migration in Côte d’Ivoire has contributed significantly to the development of our country, but also to the development of the countries of the West African subregion. While international migration has been a factor of development for Côte d’Ivoire, so it has also been for the migrants’ countries of origin. Most immigrants transfer large sums of money to their country of origin. Judging by the activities of the four electronic transfer systems, in 2004 and 2005 respectively, funds amounting to $100 million and $97 million were transferred from Côte d’Ivoire to countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). The level of integration of immigrant populations is exemplary. Except for participation in politics and restrictions on rural property ownership, foreign populations enjoy all economic and social rights. But like any social phenomenon, given its scope and concentrated nature, migration poses serious problems, to which the Government needs to find sustainable solutions. They have to do mainly with land ownership and how to manage immigrant populations, especially their children born in Côte d’Ivoire. For development to be sustainable in Africa, it must be dealt with on a regional basis. Côte d’Ivoire supports this and actively participates in regional economic integration. We would like to point out that a number of issues are being dealt with appropriately on a regional collective basis. Migration in Africa is one of those issues, and it would be a good thing to place this question on the agenda of urgent issues in Africa in general and in the West African subregion in particular. The social, political and military crisis that has been occurring in Côte d’Ivoire since December 1999 has brought about a deterioration of the already precarious situation of the most vulnerable people: primarily children, youth, women and immigrants. This crisis has created new categories of people in difficulty, particularly internally displaced persons, child soldiers and ex-combatants. Precariousness exposes Ivoirians and foreigners to all types of risks, leading to uncertainty, insecurity and increasing poverty. This is why people risk going to Western countries: primarily North America and Europe. Côte d’Ivoire is gradually becoming a country of emigration. In order to meet the challenge of sustainable development, the only viable response to the precariousness that I have mentioned, it is essential that African countries have structured, organized, enlightened governments; in other words, modern States must be built and consolidated. This is a challenge for Africa, a long-term task in which we in Côte d’Ivoire have been engaged with more or less positive results since independence in 1960. The crisis of the past few years, however, is jeopardizing our efforts. In a context of subregional economic integration and aggressive globalization, Côte d’Ivoire cannot close itself off from the rest of the world. It will always welcome people given its position as a main pole of regional economic growth. That is why we welcome this High-level Dialogue, which allows us to share ideals and unite our efforts in defining the best possible policies and effective strategies for managing migration for sustainable development in the interests of our people.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of the Interior of Ghana.

Madam President, my delegation would like to congratulate you on your election and to express appreciation to the Secretary- General for his incisive report on international migration and development (A/60/871). Migration is a fundamental feature of today’s world and demands attention at the international level. It is, therefore, not surprising that so much attention has been focused on this High-level Dialogue as a way of exploring new ways of making the greatest possible use of migratory flows. Ghana firmly believes that in order to give recognition to the growing link between migration and development, international migration has to find a way into country development strategies, such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. This, however, can happen effectively only if the nature and scope of migration are fully understood and addressed within the globalization framework. To this end, data availability, research and analysis need to be enhanced to put into place coherent national and international policies and actions that can maximize its benefits and reduce its negative effects. Brain drain is no doubt one of the most adverse effects of migration for countries, like Ghana, which have a good educational system but whose economic situation cannot provide adequate job and development opportunities for everyone. In this regard, my delegation would like to support calls for the promotion of return programmes in countries of origin as well as destination, thus helping to transfer back knowledge and skills acquired, providing our diaspora a certain level of ownership in Ghana’s development. We also call for the promotion of ethical recruitment practices or help to replenish the stock of brain power in countries of origin by supporting education and training within the framework of their development assistance. Remittances and the income multipliers they create are crucial resources for development and sustenance strategies in countries of origin, as in most cases they now exceed official development assistance. Money remitted by migrants reaches even the most remote rural areas and has significant impact at the individual and household consumption levels, thereby alleviating poverty and creating immediate multiplier effects for the local economy. But despite the huge increase in remittances, most countries of origin are still struggling with how to harness effectively the capital created for national development. Initiatives encouraging migrants to return to their country of origin to share their knowledge, expertise and experience have yielded positive results. Ghana, for instance, has made efforts to reach out to its diaspora to encourage them to invest in businesses and transfer their skills. It was in this regard that the Government adopted the Dual Citizenship Law in 2001. In Ghana, as in most of Africa and indeed the world, we are witnessing an increasing feminization of migration. More and more women engage in traditionally male migration patterns, moving across long distances to fulfil their own and their family’s economic needs. This gender phenomenon has serious social consequences within countries of origin with critical implications for migration management. In this regard, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Ghana has recently passed a human trafficking law and set up a national task force to see to its implementation. We are also a signatory to the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) Political Declaration and the Action Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings. Economic and opportunity disparities, armed conflicts and related factors will continue to provide impetus for labour mobility. The delegation of Ghana, therefore, supports the establishment of a mechanism to match supply with demand better in safe, legal, humane and orderly ways to maximize the societal and human development potential of global labour mobility. The Government of Ghana concurs with the view highlighted in the Secretary-General’s report that policy coherence and harmonization need to be enhanced at the national and global levels. It appreciates the support that it continues to get from IOM and the Global Migration Group, and recommends that they be endorsed by this Dialogue as inter-agency mechanisms to promote coherence and collaboration among multilateral agencies. In conclusion, let me re-echo the Secretary- General’s remarks that we have everything to gain and nothing to lose by exploring international migration in a more systematic and a more informed way. My delegation is confident that the deliberations and outcome of this Dialogue will meet our expectations and will provide a framework on how to make migration work for all through cooperation.

I give the floor to His Excellency The Honourable Ralph Fonseca, Minster for Home Affairs and Public Utilities of Belize.

It affords me particular pleasure, Madam, to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty- first session, which once again proves the adage that women hold up half the sky. Allow me to commend the preparatory work conducted by Member States, the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration and civil society organizations, whose contributions represent an important input in the context of our present discussions. As numerous speakers before me have acknowledged, the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development is the first major event in United Nations history to focus exclusively on international migration issues. It presents a unique opportunity for the international community to strategize and develop policies to enhance the role of migration in promoting development and poverty reduction. Our challenge is manifold. Not only must we reach a common understanding of the complexities of international migration as a phenomenon in and of itself, but we must also contextualize that phenomenon in our development agenda. Above all, we must ensure that our discussions to this end move beyond ephemeral words and result in concrete actions. We recognize the United Nations as the appropriate platform to facilitate these discussions. Since Belize’s independence in 1981, migration flows have transformed the social and demographic composition of Belize, changing it from a country with a majority Afro-Caribbean population to one with a Mestizo ethnic majority. The Government of Belize formulated policies and, with the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), embarked on programmes to ensure the successful assimilation of these new Belizeans. The programmes allowed farmers access to arable land and provided free education and free primary health care. Legislation was put in place to allow for permanent residency or citizenship. A Refugee Department was established to process the large number of refugees, and the Labour Department increased the number of employment permits granted. In 1999, an amnesty came into effect, allowing undocumented migrants and recent arrivals to apply for permanent residency. As the report of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean observed, as the Government undertakes efforts to respond to the challenges that immigration flows have posed for the country over the past 20 years, new migration trends are emerging. These trends include inflows of more, generally better qualified, people from Asia and North America, outflows of highly qualified natives, particularly women, and the relocation of families. The concept of co-development put forward in the Secretary-General’s report on international migration and development is pivotal for rethinking migration as a tool for development. International migration is intrinsically linked to the development of both receiving and sending countries. Migration flows can, indeed, satisfy the labour demands of advanced economies while reducing unemployment and underemployment in countries of origin and in the process generate remittances, savings and know-how for the benefit of the latter. The emphasis in co-development is on the complementarities between countries of origin and countries of destination, which operate in a mutually beneficial symbiotic cycle. Given the deliberate decision to link migration and development, the concept of co-development necessitates coherence in policymaking at the national and international levels. Furthermore, its emphasis on complementarities likewise necessitates a new approach to migration management, founded on the principle of common interests and shared responsibilities. But, most important of all, it requires a commitment to enduring multilateral and multidimensional cooperation. In moving forward, we must set policies aimed at enhancing migration’s contribution to development and reducing its negative impact. These policies at their core must respect the human dimension of migration. The Secretary-General rightly notes that the benefits of international migration, not only for the migrants themselves, but also for receiving societies, are contingent on the protection of migrant’s rights. We should encourage the universality and support the full and effective implementation of the various human rights and international labour instruments that make up the normative framework on international migration. Although the shaping of migration continues to be a sovereign right of States, they must collaborate on the issue and move to coordinated action. The High- level Dialogue presents the first major opportunity for Member States to find concrete means of enhancing that collaboration, in the process ensuring that the potential contributions of migration to development are fully realized. We fully endorse and associate ourselves with those who are promoting the building of a mechanism for effective multilateral evaluation and cooperation to address international migration.

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Jean Généus, Minister for Haitians Living Abroad of Haiti.

The Republic of Haiti welcomes the initiative and the vision of the General Assembly, under the leadership of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in organizing a High- level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. In so doing, the Assembly remains true to its tradition of being an essential platform for the great contemporary debates challenging the international community. The link between migration and development is well illustrated in the context of Haiti, a major source of international migration. However, whereas the positive effects of migration on countries of destination are quite clear, its benefits for Haiti are more nuanced. Indeed, much remains to be accomplished to maximize the potential of migration to contribute not only to poverty reduction, but also to the development of our country. The Republic of Haiti welcomes the primary objective of this High-level Dialogue: to debate the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development. The High-level Dialogue also seeks appropriate ways and means to derive maximum advantage from the phenomenon of migration, while reducing its harmful effects. Migration offers an opportunity to obtain better social and economic opportunities, which improve the well-being of individuals and families. Migration also promotes the economic emancipation of female migrants within their households, where they are increasingly playing a major role. That is a positive development that should be supported. Moreover, migration contributes to poverty reduction in Haiti through remittances, which bring in more than $1 billion per year, or more than 25 per cent of the gross domestic product. Migration’s contributions to the development of Haiti should thus be taken better into account, through a series of actions. The means of legal entry to destination countries, which have a great demand for low- or unskilled migrant labour, should be increased. Next, we should promote protection of the rights and interests of migrants — particularly women, the most vulnerable sector of the population — so that they all can contribute further to the Republic of Haiti’s development efforts. We must also address the crucial issue of large- scale regular emigration on the part of highly skilled nationals. That exodus of skills is both a loss of investment in human capital and a hindrance to the development of social services and the private sector. In that connection, the Haitian Government would like to work together with countries of destination to promote policies and programmes encouraging professional migrants to contribute powerfully to the transfer of technologies and the sharing of knowledge, skills and contacts with their countries of origin. For its part, the Republic of Haiti is fully aware that its development and the management of the migration issue remain the responsibility of its Government. In addition, thanks to technical support from the International Organization for Migration, the Government has already established an interministerial and intersectoral group that is working to formulate a policy on migration in general and the migration ob labour in particular. Haiti will also seek to further encourage intervention by the private sector and civil society in order to capitalize on the financial capacity of the diaspora to contribute to the country’s development. Given the shortcomings of unilateral measures, the Haitian Government calls earnestly for the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation to find solutions that are favourable to both countries of origin and countries of destination. At the global level, Haiti favours strengthening the Global Migration Group and the International Dialogue on Migration. The latter serves to broaden the scope of discussions by including important actors such as the World Trade Organization, which is increasingly interested in the issue of the economic fallout of labour mobility. Given the importance of the impressive development of regional consultative processes, Haiti will spare no effort to strengthen both its presence at and its active participation in such processes. To that end, my Government warmly welcomes the efforts being made to strengthen cooperation in regional consultative processes. Such cooperation should facilitate participation by Haiti and other key countries that are sources of migratory movement by substantially overcoming the stumbling block of the language barrier, which is a genuine restraint on integration. Ultimately, this High-level Dialogue offers us all — countries of origin, transit and destination — a historic opportunity to assume collective responsibility for the issue of migration. My country is honoured by the massive participation of States in these meetings. Haiti earnestly hopes that this Dialogue will serve as a catalyst for a modern and innovative debate on international migration that respects human rights and creates mutual benefits for countries of origin and destination.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Nicholas Schmit, Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Luxembourg.

I should like at the outset to thank all those — in particular the Secretary-General — who have taken the initiative in arranging this High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. I should also like to congratulate Peter Sutherland on his report, which has the great merit of presenting an overview of all the major aspects of migration. It should enable us to better organize our cooperation in this area. The beginning of this dialogue within the United Nations among countries of origin, transit and destination is a positive and promising signal. We all have in mind the tragic scenes that take place every day in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic or elsewhere. Those untenable situations require that we search together for both short-term and lasting solutions. At the Rabat Conference, held in July 2006 by the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, countries of Africa, Northern Africa and Europe came together to establish a partnership among all parties to better organize migration flows so as to curb clandestine migration — which in a few months has claimed thousands of lives of young people fleeing poverty — and to strengthen a North-South partnership aimed at re-launching economic and social development to eliminate the causes of such migration, which is prompted by despair. We now have the opportunity to develop a global partnership to make migration a true source of enrichment both for countries of origin and reception and for migrants themselves. My country, Luxembourg, is a country of immigration, because immigrants represent 40 per cent of our population. We are aware of the essential contribution made by immigration to our economic and social development. But we are also aware that migration cannot be successful without an active integration policy in host countries. Closer surveillance of borders, a better- coordinated combat against criminal networks which encourage clandestine immigration and clandestine work and which shamefully profit from them are without doubt necessary, but they cannot by themselves do away altogether with clandestine and uncontrolled migratory flows. We need medium- and long-term action to eradicate poverty, which is the real root cause of this type of migration. That is how effective management of migratory flows can contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In this regard, we must strengthen the frameworks for bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, providing appropriate instruments and financial resources to make regular and legal migration an instrument of development. In this regard, the issue of financial remittances, the brain drain and migrant rights are essential. The European Union is incorporating all of these issues relating to migration in its foreign policies, as the President of the Union mentioned in his speech. Better protection of the most vulnerable migrants, women and children in particular, is absolutely necessary, particularly by effectively combating trafficking in human beings. Respect for human rights is an essential element that must be strengthened in all migration policies. I would also like to draw attention to the need for an information policy, particularly in the societies of the North, regarding the advantages of legal migration for our ageing societies; that is the most effective way to combat xenophobia, racism, discrimination and exclusion. Today, my country devotes 0.87 per cent of its gross domestic income to development cooperation. My country would like to participate, above and beyond this Dialogue, to ongoing reflection on the question of migration and development. We support the establishment of a global forum, provided that it is an informal structure which allows for a genuine sharing of experiences, as proposed by the Secretary-General. We must commend Belgium, which has already expressed its readiness to host the first meeting of such a Forum in 2007. Now, we must draw the correct conclusions from the Dialogue that we have conducted over these two days in New York. We must now enrich and better coordinate our policies, better organize our cooperation and make our policies more coherent in the interest of our countries, both of the North and of the South, in the interest of our societies and, most important, in the interest of migrants.

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Sergiy Rudyk, Minister, Head of the Committee on Nationalities and Migration of Ukraine.

At the outset, Madam President, let me, on behalf of the Government of Ukraine, congratulate you and, through you, Secretary- General Kofi Annan, on the timely organization of this very important Dialogue. I hope that our deliberations during these two days will contribute significantly to the development both of the countries where migrants come from and of those where they arrive. My delegation wishes to align itself with the statement made by Ms. Tarja Filatov of Finland on behalf of the European Union. We have carefully examined the Secretary-General’s comprehensive report on international migration and development (A/60/871). In our view, it addresses the core of the issues. We agree that migration and development are interrelated and that the international community should foster cooperation in this field to make better use of the development potential of migration. Let me elaborate on Ukraine’s experience with the migration process and with related constraints. Due to its geopolitical situation, Ukraine has a high level of migration. One can observe that Ukraine is both a country of origin and a destination for international migration and has become a crossroads of migratory movements from East to West, South to North and back. According to United Nations data, my country occupies fourth place in the number of international migrants. During its 15 years of independence, Ukraine has passed through three important periods of international migration. At the beginning of the 1990s, a great number of Ukrainian nationals went abroad for permanent residence. At the end of the last century, the process of stabilization took place, and currently we are observing a positive balance in migratory movement. At the very beginning, we lacked experience in the area of migration management. For the first time, we faced such phenomena as asylum seekers, refugees, illegal migrants and guest workers. Today, Ukraine has acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. Since 2002, Ukraine has been a full member of the International Organization for Migration. But a lot remains to be done. With the European Union now bordering Ukraine, migration movements are likely to grow, and this defines Ukraine as a country with mixed streams of migrants. That reality has encouraged the Government of Ukraine to introduce measures that would diminish illegal immigration. Monitoring the migration process and possible participation in the system to prevent illegal migration are the main priorities of relevant Government institutions. Guidelines and procedures have been established in accordance with international practice on applications for refugee status. Close to 2,300 individuals have already received such status in Ukraine. As far as migration from Ukraine is concerned, it primarily involves those who are seeking better jobs. According to data that have not been officially confirmed, many millions of Ukrainians are currently working abroad, while the official data show that there are only 56,000. That is a clear indication of a further need to facilitate legal migration in cooperation between countries of origin and receiving countries in order to reduce irregular or illegal immigration. With the assistance of the European Union, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, Ukraine is successfully implementing programmes to develop institutional capacity for migration management, the main purpose of which is its development of migration services in Ukraine in keeping with international humanitarian standards. The establishment of the Immigration Service of Ukraine is ongoing. In conclusion, let me commend the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Peter Sutherland, for the role he has played in this area. We welcome the decision to extend his mandate. We hope that this Dialogue will contribute to a better understanding of world migration processes and the need for collective coordinated efforts, both on the national and the regional level. As Secretary-General Kofi Annan told us this morning, “It is now time to turn to the evidence” (A/61/PV.3).

I give the floor to His Excellency The Honourable Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere, MP, Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees of Uganda.

Madam President, I take this opportunity to join in congratulating you on the assumption of your important role. Uganda takes cognizance of the well-developed manual, the International Agenda for Migration Management, to which my country contributed during the global consultative process at the regional level and under the Berne Initiative. What are now needed are comprehensive and coherent global policies to manage international migration. Why do we need comprehensive and coherent global polices to manage international migration? As the labour market has become increasingly global, labour migration has become a key means of accomplishing essential business objectives, such as addressing labour market shortages. Improved mechanisms are needed to better match global labour supply and demand in ways that maximize the societal and human development potential of global labour mobility. The need to invest in human resource development has taken on international significance as a result of increasing labour mobility. Ensuring that labour movements are safe, humane, legal and orderly is in the inherent interest of stakeholders, including individual migrants, Governments, countries of origin and destination, the private sector and civil society. The regulatory framework for migration needs to be made more transparent. A centralized information source on national and regional migration legislation, regulations and administrative requirements would benefit all stakeholders. Remittances have become a significant source of global finance and a potential driver of economic growth in developing countries like Uganda. With respect to our own experience in migration management, internal displacement caused by rebel activity in northern Uganda brought various challenges, including protected camps to guard the people from abductions and forced recruitment. Today, we are in peace talks with the rebels in Juba in the southern Sudan to end that conflict peacefully so that people can return home from internally displaced persons camps and engage in production and self- determination. Uganda has put in place progressive refugee legislation that can now allow refugees to live dignified lives by accessing land, produce, and work and to enjoy all the accruing rights. We have also been actively involved in regional efforts to resolve the displacement of people in the Great Lakes region, in particular through Uganda’s chairmanship of the successfully completed Burundi peace talks; in southern Sudan under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development; and through our efforts in Somalia. The Constitution of Uganda has been amended to allow Ugandans who have acquired other citizenship to remain Ugandans — in other words, we have allowed dual citizenship under the Constitution. We have also set up a unit in the Ministry of Labour to handle the externalization of labour. Regulations have been developed and endorsed by the Government to guide that process, where we have surplus labour. Through the East African Community, with support from the United States Government, we have, through the International Organization for Migration, implemented a migration management programme in which labour officials have acquired related training and have been provided with small, necessary equipment to handle migration. The project also lays down a framework for a comprehensive review of migration legislation. Our commitment to and support for the establishment of an East African federation to guarantee free movement of people, goods, and services as the region develops into a one-citizenship country will ease free movement of people. In conclusion, we badly need capacity-building and positive programmes that can bring us all together at an effective level of global migration management. But, above all, we need a total review of the global economy in order to understand why international migration has become such a big problem.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Juma Alifa Ngasongwa, Minister for Planning, Economy and Empowerment of the United Republic of Tanzania.

At the outset, Madam, let me congratulate you on your election as President of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly and assure you of my delegation’s full support. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by the Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania welcomes this High-level Dialogue on migration and the opportunity it has provided for putting the issue of migration and development on the international agenda. We welcome the reports prepared by the Secretary-General for this Dialogue. The reports have provided us with a wealth of information on this matter. The recommendations contained therein provide a basis for our deliberations and material for further discussions. My Government welcomes the recommendation made in the Secretary-General’s report (A/60/871) for a consultative forum on migration. However, more discussions are needed on the establishment of this forum and the form it should take in view of the ongoing reforms of the United Nations. Migration is an old historical phenomenon with varied causes and consequences. The current rising trend of migration can be attributed to many factors, including rapid globalization, advances in transport, communication and technology, deteriorating political, social and environmental conditions, demographic factors and armed conflicts. The patterns of migration flows are mixed, complex and challenging. We should also point out that internal national migration is equally challenging to policymakers and adds complexity to the phenomenon of international migration. Migrants are not a homogenous group; migrants may have the same basic needs, but they also have needs that are specific to their groupings, which need to be addressed accordingly in managing international migration. For my Government, international migration and development is a new area that we are trying to understand and cope with. The Government, with support from the International Organization for Migration, initiated a project in 2004 on Migration for Development in Tanzania. A preliminary assessment has been undertaken, and the Government is now working on the issues raised in the study. The management of migration requires a coordinated, multisectoral approach and compliance with international human rights standards and practice. In that regard, we wish to emphasize the importance of international cooperation and support in capacity- building, especially in the following areas. First is the promotion of policy coherence on migration issues and sector development policies, since migration cuts across various sectors. We need also to explore the mainstreaming of migration into poverty reduction and employment creation strategies. The second area is that of advocacy and communication of information on safe and legal migration such that migration is a result of informed choice and not a survival strategy and that it occurs in conditions of dignity. The third area is the prevention and elimination of smuggling in persons, especially women and children. And fourthly, the promotion of respect for the human rights of migrant workers and their families. The volume of the remittances transmitted by migrant workers and the benefits of those remittances to their home communities have been widely recognized. Their positive impact on individual household income can be significant, but it cannot replace official development assistance. We must look simultaneously into ways to enhance the productive use of remittances as well as to reduce the cost of sending such funds. While we cannot prevent migration, my Government is also concerned about both the issue of the brain drain caused by the migration of skilled workers and the “brain waste” produced when skilled migrants are not utilized efficiently. We encourage the effective engagement of diasporas in contributing to the development of their countries of origin. We also encourage the transfer of technology from receiving to sending countries. While it is widely recognized that, when properly managed, migration is beneficial to both sending and receiving communities, we note also that there is an information gap on many aspects of the linkage between migration and development. We would therefore urge more collaboration and cooperation among nations to gain and share knowledge and skills that will assist in the development of policies and regulations that will govern the many aspects and dimensions of migration in a way that will bring about a win-win situation for migrants, their countries of origin and the States that receive them. Let me conclude by saying that international migration is a phenomenon that is here to stay and that, as managing migration goes beyond a country’s boundaries, what is needed is concerted efforts among us to address the root causes of migration and to provide an environment where migration is freely undertaken in a safe, informed and dignified manner and with full respect for human rights. My country is committed to work with the international community in that endeavour.

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Mrs. Aigul Ryskulova, Chairperson of the State Committee on Migration and Employment of Kyrgyzstan.

First and foremost, allow me, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, to express our sincere gratitude to Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the successful organization of this meeting. I also wish to thank Mr. Brunson McKinley, Director General of the International Organization for Migration, for the consistent support given to the development of migration policy in our country. This High-level Dialogue on Migration and Development is very important, as it offers an opportunity to outline our future efforts in that regard. The regulation of migration processes is currently one of the main policy issues for all States. The domestic and foreign policies of all countries are based on economic values and indicators that are in turn closely linked to migration and development issues. Increasingly, developing countries have begun to pursue determined and well-designed policies, to introduce legislation and to establish bodies to deal with processes associated with the regulation of migration. Like any other country developing under the rules of a market economy, Kyrgyzstan has experienced all sorts of migration. Kyrgyzstan’s geopolitical situation — including its proximity to countries with unstable political environments — as well as the military campaigns to our south and general domestic unemployment have influenced priorities in the regulation of migration processes in Kyrgyzstan. A clear State policy on migration is currently in effect in the Kyrgyz Republic, which is being implemented by the newly established State Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic for Migration and Employment. We believe that policy in this area should be based on recognition of the fact that migration is an objective process. In that context, our primary aim is to serve the interests of the individual, society and the State as a whole. In our work, we believe it is necessary to emphasize the positive consequences and potential of migration, including its positive impact on the balance of payments, domestic labour markets, the reduction of poverty, cultural enrichment and the transfer of labour know-how and skills when the migrants return home, to name but a few aspects. Unfortunately, Kyrgyzstan has recently faced a number of problems related to migration, primarily those associated with protecting the rights and legal interests of migrants and members of their families in countries of destination. The Government has taken certain bold steps aimed at creating an international treaty basis for migration, providing advice and information to migrants about their rights and establishing expatriate communities, cultural centres and centres to provide legal protection. The time has come to enhance support for migrants who remit funds in a legal and advantageous manner, through intergovernmental and inter-bank agreements aimed at reducing transaction costs. Other problems must still be addressed, including how to more effectively utilize migrants’ remittances in order to help them start small businesses and to invest in family budgets and education. I believe this will be difficult without the assistance and experience of international and financial institutions, especially the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic has significant collaboration with the IOM in managing the migration process, capacity-building and development of legislation. IOM and Kyrgyzstan are also working on a new concept of migration policy that will reflect major global trends and make use of the world’s experience in that regard. One of the main tenets of international migration is that the State has the capacity to control and regulate border crossings. That, however, does not constitute an absolute mandate, for it must adhere to the human right to travel freely and the commitments of States set out in various international agreements and treaties. Acknowledging the commitment of the Kyrgyz Republic to the fundamental principles and norms of international law, our Government is making every effort to ensure the rights of all categories of migrants. Our Government is providing assistance to persons displaced involuntarily, refugees, persons seeking Kyrgyz citizenship and persons of Kyrgyz origin who have chosen to live abroad. I hope that this meeting will lead to a constructive dialogue that sheds light on the various issues related to the legal and institutional context of the management of migration processes and of population flows. I also hope that we will endeavour to identify priorities for the future development of migration policies among the countries represented here.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Zhazbeck Abdiyev, Vice-Minister and Chairperson of the Committee on Migration, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Kazakhstan.

Migration is a phenomenon that has for quite some time not received much attention. We are today gradually beginning to appreciate the need to manage migration flows for the sake of the development of countries of origin and destination alike. Societies must focus efforts towards resolving the problems of the reintegration of migrants and enhancing the protection of their rights in countries of destination. Of no less importance is the gender aspect of migration. As is well known, women migrants are more vulnerable and face greater risks and discrimination than men. Unfortunately, human trafficking, slavery and sexual exploitation continue to be burning issues on the global agenda. Measures to eradicate those scourges of the contemporary world should include improving the economic and social situation of vulnerable sectors of the population. We must also strengthen international and State cooperation in that area. The protection and rehabilitation of the victims of trafficking are extremely important components in combating this type of transnational crime. No less important is the need to punish those who traffic in human beings, as well as the need for agencies that deal with this issue to put in place stricter controls. As a country of destination, transit and origin of migrants, Kazakhstan devotes particular attention to problems involving illegal, ethnic and labour migration and the protection of the rights of migrant workers. The migration policy of my country includes the following priorities. One of our policies is to liberalize the migration regime, protect rights and freedoms on the basis of the rule of law and to observe strict compliance with the norms of international law. We also seek to create conditions for the return of ethnic Kazakhs — Oralmans — to their native land, as well as to utilize external labour migration to attract highly skilled workers. The Government of Kazakhstan is strengthening its national migration legislation and implementing a national migration policy programme. Work is under way to develop a new concept of migration policy that will incorporate international best practices adapted to our conditions. This year, my country became the first country of the Commonwealth of Independent States to carry out a pilot campaign to legalize illegal migrant workers. That effort has allowed migrant workers to register with local migration agencies. An interdepartmental working group has been working since February to develop and implement migration policy. The group includes representatives from the International Organization for Migration and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Kazakhstan is party to bilateral treaties and multilateral conventions that directly or indirectly protect the rights of migrants. Our country is also working closely with the relevant international organizations and United Nations agencies in this area. Kazakhstan hopes that the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development will significantly contribute to identifying trends in international migration and its effects on development. Migration issues transcend all existing borders between States. It is important to identify ways to successfully and effectively manage migration for development. The global agenda should include among its priorities such issues as economic growth, human development, the creation of decent jobs in developing countries, gender equality, the protection of the rights of migrants and finding solutions to the problems of labour migration, illegal migration, human trafficking, migrant health care, HIV/AIDS and the brain drain. We believe that, if properly managed, migration can be mutually beneficial and hold out great potential for the development of the countries of destination, transit and origin. The problems of migration can be solved. Further open dialogue and closer cooperation at the bilateral, regional and global levels can guarantee the success of that noble endeavour.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Hans Winkler, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Austria.

Austria fully subscribes to the statement delivered by the representative of Finland on behalf of the European Union (EU). At the outset, I would like to express our gratitude to Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mr. Peter Sutherland, his Special Representative for the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, for their inspiration, for getting their priorities right and for the substantial preparatory work they devoted to this event, along with Member States and non-governmental actors throughout the world. Migration issues have been at the top of the political agenda for years. Yet policies comprising both migration and the development aid dimension, and designed to create a positive impact on the ground, are still very urgently needed. Our endeavour here at the global level has to be underpinned by concrete action at the regional and subregional levels, where tailor- made solutions can be worked out. In July 2006, the Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, held in Rabat, brought together for the first time countries of origin, transit and destination along the migration routes from western, central and northern Africa to Europe, as well as regional and international organizations. In the years to come, the implementation of the action plan that was agreed at Rabat will have a concrete impact on the ground, which is urgently needed to better manage migratory flows and to prevent humanitarian disasters, which we have all witnessed in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. At the same time, the EU has always underlined that a continent-wide approach to migration is needed. We look forward to the holding of a pan-African conference on migration under the aegis of the Commission of the African Union (AU). We believe that those processes could inspire work in other regions. With regard to Austria, migratory flows on the one hand, and a focus on development cooperation on the other, overlap, in particular with regard to several countries in South-East Europe. We are including information on legal migration and on the hazards of illegal migration in our development programmes. We are also looking into the potential of sizeable diasporas for development cooperation purposes. This morning, in his very inspiring speech (see A/61/PV.3), the Secretary-General reminded us that, increasingly, countries are tending to be simultaneously countries of origin and countries of destination. In that connection, we must bear in mind that the South-South dimension of migration warrants our particular attention. When requested by partner countries, development cooperation can also contribute towards capacity-building in the area of managing migration for the benefit of all involved, and in the area of preventing trafficking and the smuggling of migrants. Migrant women, who constitute half of all international migrants worldwide and make valuable and social and economic contributions to sending and host countries alike, are facing double discrimination all over the world — as women and as migrants. We therefore strongly believe that a gender perspective should be incorporated into all migration policies and strategies. An effective and fruitful dialogue starts by exploring and understanding each other’s positions. It is crucial to gain such mutual understanding of the causes and effects of migration, as well as of its impact in terms of development. The links between migration and development are complex. But I believe that, when managed effectively, migration can create a win-win situation that may have a substantial positive impact on all parties involved. Austria shares the view expressed by many delegations that the issue of follow-up is crucial. Austria will therefore be an active participant in our common work in progress, which will make sure that this increasingly important topic remains on the international agenda. The Dialogue must continue, and we support all proposals that will keep it alive without building new bureaucratic structures. In conclusion, I should like to say that I was particularly impressed by the metaphor used in the Secretary-General’s report on international migration and development (A/60/871), namely, that of the migrant as a human link between cultures and societies. Could we easily think of a function more important than that of creating links between cultures and societies currently in grave danger of being torn apart by the strong centrifugal tendencies that are emerging as reactions to the very process of globalization?

I now call on Her Excellency Ms. Marta Altolaguirre, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala.

I would like to begin my statement by thanking the Secretariat on behalf of the Government of Guatemala for so efficiently organizing this High- level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. I am of the view that this topic is extremely important in an increasingly globalized world. I would also like to express our thanks to the Secretary-General for his report (A/60/871) on the topic under discussion and to congratulate him on the preparatory events that have opened our minds to discussing and reviewing the phenomenon of migration and its impact on development which, I am sure, will contribute to ensuring that this High-level Dialogue is a success. Guatemala shares the views expressed during the statements made by the representative of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and by the representative of Guyana on behalf of the Rio Group. My delegation has particular interest in international migration, since Guatemala, although principally a country of origin, is also a country of transit and destination. Central America in general is a highly mobile region, particularly towards the North. Guatemala is of the view that international migration has been a shared and constant phenomenon throughout human history and that it has become more complex and more intense as time passes and with the development of technology. Such movements should never be criminalized; they should be understood from the ethical and the political perspectives. I should note that in our region people are no longer emigrating to flee from conflict; they are driven by a natural desire to seek better opportunities. Migration is the outcome of the right to freedom of movement and of considered decisions by individuals, but also of the need satisfactorily to provide for their families. In addition, it is the result of an increasing trend among young people, who, with their considerable energy and desire for advancement, are attracted by better earning opportunities beyond their borders. We should also highlight the increasing number of women who decide to leave their communities and, in the process, encounter all types of risks, including sexual exploitation and, more broadly speaking, trafficking in persons. Like men, they leave in search of better opportunities, but they also leave to meet pressing family needs and responsibilities. The subject of transborder relations is particularly important, because these affect many young people in their desire to achieve family reunification abroad. Regionally, in Central America, meetings have been held to coordinate protection mechanisms for children and to ensure safe repatriation of minors. Clearly, international migration responds to the demand for workers, receiving countries’ labour needs, and the inability of societies of origin to create sufficient jobs. It is also clear that the governance of this migration requires unified and rational cooperation among States. These comments are just some examples that show that international migration is a fact that is a responsibility that all of us should assume in a comprehensive manner. Like Guatemala, all countries can be or have been societies of origin, transit or destination at some time in their history. Guatemala welcomes the endeavour at this High- level Dialogue to understand the relationship between international migration and development, and to remedy the limitations that exist in many countries of origin. We consider that the concept of co-development set out by the Secretary-General in his report is a challenge that should be further considered. International migration can contribute to development in our countries, but it is our shared responsibility to ensure that this development takes place in a stable and sustainable manner. It is crucial that we put an end to forced migration, whether it be caused by instability or by lack of opportunities. That responsibility lies mainly with the countries of origin, but there is a universal obligation to protect the human rights of every person, and that obligation must be met by all. It is also worth mentioning that it is only through rational cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination that we will be able effectively to combat the trafficking and smuggling of individuals. In short, we must always consider this issue from the human perspective.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Pracha Guna-Kasem, Senior Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

Thailand wishes to express its appreciation for the report of the Secretary- General (A/60/871) on international migration and development, which highlights the interconnection between these two issues, as well as the question of how this phenomenon can benefit countries, be they countries of origin, transit or destination of migrants. We also welcome the report of the Global Commission on International Migration, which provides a comprehensive overview of international migration in various parts of the world and proposes a substantive list of useful recommendations on effective migration management. Thailand is, all in one, a country of origin, transit and destination. We have thus accumulated a great deal of experience and many lessons, both positive and negative, on migration issues. I would like to share with members some of our thoughts on migration issues. First, Thailand believes that international migration is overall a positive global phenomenon that, if properly managed, can enrich societies and cultures and contribute significantly to economic growth and development in both countries of origin and countries of destination. It is on this premise that the Royal Thai Government in 2004 embarked on a regularization scheme for approximately 2 million illegal migrant workers from neighbouring countries who were already present in Thailand. This has resulted in 1.3 million migrant workers being registered and in most of them being issued work permits which entitle them to access to basic health services. On the outbound front, the Government has been facilitating Thai nationals seeking legal employment opportunities abroad by providing, for example, many pre-departure training programmes to develop workers’ skills necessary to meet the demands of labour markets abroad. Secondly, we are of the view that rights-based and victim-centred approaches are essential to any migration management efforts, since people on irregular migration, especially women and children, are highly vulnerable to being trafficked and abused. In that regard, Thailand has attached great importance to intensifying efforts to protect the fundamental human rights and human dignity of migrants, irrespective of their documentation status. Migrant workers are empowered to exercise their rights and to have access to resources and remedies through the information, training and education provided by the Thai Government. We have also been promoting legal practices regarding the recruitment of migrant workers, and ensuring access to effective legal remedies for migrants. Thirdly, we share the views of many previous speakers that multidimensional aspects of international migration and development must be taken into account when formulating an effective national migration policy. International migration is linked with diverse policy issues including development, human rights, human security, trade and health, as well as national security concerns. Therefore, a coherent, comprehensive and integrated migration policy involving multiple stakeholders is crucial to attaining our mutual goal of maximizing the benefits of international migration, and minimizing its negative effects. Fourthly, international migration cannot be managed effectively in isolation from international cooperation, simply because it involves more than one country and concerns more than one global issue. Thailand fully recognizes the importance of partnership, capacity-building and the sharing of the best practices at all levels, particularly the bilateral and regional levels. We have played an active role in the regional consultative and cooperation frameworks, namely, the Intergovernmental Asia-Pacific Consultations on Refugees, Displaced Persons and Migrants; the Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, or the Bali Process; and the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking. We have initiated and concluded several bilateral memorandums of understanding with countries in the Mekong subregion to address migration-related problems, for example, the memorandums of understanding with Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on Bilateral Cooperation for Eliminating Trafficking in Children and Women and Assisting Victims of Trafficking, and the memorandums of understanding with Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar on Cooperation in the Employment of Workers. Lastly, Thailand supports the Secretary-General’s proposal to consider the possibility of developing a global consultative process within the United Nations, with the active participation of all stakeholders, to maintain the dialogue on international migration after this High-level Dialogue. We hope that the proposed mechanism would effectively serve as a potential intergovernmental forum to sustain the momentum of political will and develop the basis for future cooperation on international migration laid by this High-level Dialogue.

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

I would like to begin by congratulating you, Madam, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. Let me take this opportunity to assure you that you have the Government of Japan’s full support as you lead the General Assembly in addressing the challenges facing the United Nations. It is essential that every society be fair in the way it receives and treats people from other countries. Societies should promote cultural diversity and strive for openness, flexibility and more mobile workforces. Migrants, in turn, can contribute to the development of their countries of origin by gaining skills and engaging in economic activity. Many issues must be resolved, however, in order for international migration to be of benefit to migrants and their countries of origin and destination. Not only must countries make efforts within their national frameworks, but they must also engage in international cooperation. This High-level Dialogue is therefore most timely, and, on behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to thank the United Nations for its initiative in convening it. The preamble to the Constitution of Japan states that “[we] recognize that all peoples of the world have the right to live in peace, free from fear and want”. That is the basis of the idea of human security that Japan has been promoting with a view to protecting people and giving them the power to protect themselves. Japan believes that, in the interest of human security for all people, it is important to combine the following two approaches to international migration; first, we must protect people who have been forced to leave their homes because of threats to their welfare and also empower them, enabling them to better withstand adversity. Second, we must protect people migrating in search of better lives, and create environments where they can realize their potential in accordance with the laws and regulations of countries of destination. Taking action on both of these fronts is the basic precondition for creating a positive link between migration and development, paying particular attention to the needs of women, children and other vulnerable members of society. Allow me to expand on this idea. Japan has implemented numerous projects in other countries aimed at empowering communities where people have been forced to flee their homes because of conflicts, natural disasters, human trafficking, organized crime and other major threats to their safety. Those projects, which include aid for refugees and victims of human trafficking, as well as advocacy activities, are being conducted with financial and technical assistance from Japan and financing from the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, established in 1999 as the result of a Japanese initiative to help United Nations agencies carry out activities in this area. In addition, Japan is implementing its Action Plan of Measures to Combat Trafficking in Persons, adopted in 2004 in the areas of prevention, law enforcement and protection. Japan is also exchanging views with Governments, non-governmental organizations and international organizations in Asia, Europe and Latin America to pursue effective ways of preventing human trafficking. Japan is also actively participating in the Bali Process, a regional framework in Asia and the Pacific to help combat illegal immigration, human smuggling and trafficking and related transnational crimes. Migrants can contribute to the development of both their country of origin and their country of destination through their economic activity, their technical skills and capital they can provide. In order to realize such a win-win situation, however, migrants should abide by the laws of their countries of origin, transit and destination, under which they should at the same time be afforded due protection. Moreover, international cooperation to support the development of the capacity of each individual is necessary for migrants to obtain the maximum benefit from migration. For those reasons, Japan has extended cooperation to developing countries with a view to enhancing human resources in education and health. For example, Japan has offered assistance for training teachers and improving teaching manuals, curricula and textbooks. In the health sector, this cooperation has taken the form of training medical and counselling staff engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In addition, for over 40 years the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers have been sent to developing countries to participate at the grass-roots level in community- and nation-building efforts. On the basis of this experience, Japan has just launched, in cooperation with the United Nations Volunteers, an Asian youth volunteers programme for Africa to promote an exchange of volunteers between the two continents. The issue of international migration and development is a critical global challenge. Japan therefore regards this High-level Dialogue as a significant step for all of us. After it has concluded, we, the international community, will need to deepen our dialogue and strengthen our cooperation. Japan is committed to working towards both of those ends.

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. João Gomes Cravinho, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal.

Allow me at the outset, Madam President, to congratulate you on your recent election, and to wish you every success as you carry out your lofty responsibilities. I would like to align myself with the statement made earlier by the representative of Finland on behalf of the Presidency of the European Union. For Portugal, this is a uniquely important opportunity for us to contribute some additional views that are of particular relevance to us. This year has witnessed a number of international gatherings devoted to the theme of migration, gatherings held in the cities of Brussels, Turin and, most important, in July, in Rabat. Today and tomorrow we are taking another step in this international dialogue, and before the year is out we will have had further opportunities to take the discussion forward. In these meetings, it has become clear that, despite controversies and divergences of opinion, we can identify important lines of consensus. The first concerns the urgent need to address migration in a shared and responsible way, since the issue will not simply disappear if it is ignored. Secondly, stable and effective responses cannot be merely national; they must be based upon international approaches, at the regional and global levels, focusing both on South- North and on South-South migration flows. The third line of consensus is that sustainable responses must be multidimensional and coherent, involving the management of migration flows, the integration of migrant communities and the promotion of development. We believe that these lines of convergence constitute a valuable starting point for our discussions. The Secretary-General’s report in connection with this High-level Dialogue (A/60/871) states, in paragraph 59, that “Governments understand that their citizens working abroad can be development assets and are strengthening ties with them.” In this regard, we should also recognize, as part of the growing consensus, the importance of the great potential of diaspora organizations as an instrument of development for countries of origin. In addition to this, we believe — on the basis of our own historical experience — that the positive impact that remittances can have upon developing countries should also be included in this consensus. Portugal recognizes that the linkages between international migration and development are complex. Globalization poses great challenges for the management of migration flows. But it is clear that migration, when managed effectively, can make enormous contributions, both to the host country and to the country of origin. It is important to bear this in mind as we develop our policy responses. Indeed, migratory flows have been a widespread and very positive phenomenon in human history, and we must not fall into the trap of promoting policies that focus on a single aspect of migration, whatever the pressures resulting from unbalanced media portrayals may be. Migration flows must be managed in such a way that the awarding of entry clearance for a migrant should always be synchronized with integration measures that prevent social exclusion, while reinforcing fair treatment under the law for migrants and their families, for example in terms of access to education, health care and employment within national systems. From the development perspective, it is important to focus our attention on the poorest countries, especially those in Africa. In this context, we attach great importance to supporting capacity in the fields of institution-building, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, human rights, democracy and the rule of law and poverty eradication. The lack of such capacity in many countries is one of the root causes of migration. Again, according to the Secretary-General’s report and to civil society hearings in the context of this High-level Dialogue, the integration of immigrants must play a key role within national and regional policies. The effective integration of migrant workers within globalized labour markets is critical. Migrant communities should be able to feel at home and to enjoy their rights, as well as fulfilling their duties. But they should also be given space to preserve their identities and keep their roots alive. In my country, we have been experiencing substantial growth in migration flows and its diversification in terms of quality, which poses a very interesting challenge for our society, as well as providing a valuable opportunity. Our role as a host country for migrants — after many decades of being a country of origin — has led us to engage in coordination efforts within various sectors of public policy that have an impact upon migration. We are currently in the process of adopting a global and integrated migration policy that highlights the social, economic and cultural advantages of the phenomenon without ignoring the challenges involved. We are working towards promoting various forms of legal immigration, with a view to further discouraging illicit entry. This new legislation being promoted by the Portuguese Government is giving special consideration to issues of flexibility related to “circular migration” flows and temporary migration visas. It also gives attention to repressing the violence resulting from all forms of trafficking in human beings, which affects women and children in particular. The new migration law intensifies prevention efforts by focusing on illegal recruitment networks and traffic in human beings, while at the same time implementing measures to provide support to the victims. As we all know, development cannot be achieved at the expense of human rights. In our view, it is essential to have appropriate statistical mechanisms to assess numbers, as well as the capacity to analyse, interpret and use such data. We recently created an observatory of migration movements among the Portuguese-speaking countries. The main objective of the project is to promote better knowledge of migratory realities in all the countries involved by sharing legislative and statistical information, undertaking studies in the area of migration and asylum and creating a contact network. Our interest in these issues will continue to be discussed in Portugal throughout 2006 and 2007. Migrant flows from the Community of Portuguese- speaking Countries are still very significant. For historical reasons, those countries are also the main recipients of Portuguese development assistance. In recognition of this link, in June we organized a seminar with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the role of the Portuguese-speaking diaspora in promoting development in their countries of origin. In October, Lisbon will also be hosting the important Metropolis Conference, on the special theme “Paths and Crossroads: Moving People, Changing Places”. Another new step is that Portugal and Cape Verde are in the process of institutionalizing a joint working group designed to define common strategies that are appropriate for the specificity of Cape Verde and immigration in Portugal, which is also a transit country for Cape Verde and immigrants to other countries. In short, the group will address the issues pertaining to migration and its multiple components. On the issue of remittances, which are private flows, we believe that more research can be done about their contribution to the development of countries of origin. Portugal has promoted a research study on remittances with the Inter-American Development Bank, and we have further work in the pipeline on that important issue, with other partners. Allow me to end with a reference to two pivotal arenas of dialogue on migration in which we shall invest strongly over the coming year. The first concerns the dialogue between Europe and Africa, which is an extremely appropriate framework for placing migration issues within the broader context of a strengthened EU-Africa partnership. We are therefore working hard towards the next EU-Africa Summit. Furthermore, and bearing in mind that the High- level Dialogue is part of a continuing process, we consider it important to give continuity to our work over these two days and to find the best ways of keeping the topic on the international agenda. Thus, my Government will avail itself of the opportunity of holding the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union, during the second semester of 2007, to make sure that migration remains at the forefront of our attention.

I give the floor to Her Excellency Mrs. Judit Fazekas Lèvaynè, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of Hungary.

Hungary would like to express its pleasure in seeing the present High-level Dialogue taking place as a result of the thorough preparatory work of United Nations Member States. We believe it is both desirable and useful to launch a multifaceted international coordination process in the wake of this event of high symbolic importance. As a part of the process, we support every constructive joint elaboration of ideas and approaches at the bilateral, regional and, where appropriate, international community level. We believe that a major task of the follow-up process is to boost the efficiency of cooperation among international organizations working with migration. Hungary therefore welcomes the creation of the Global Migration Group, as an initiative integrating migration and development organizations. International migration is a remarkably diversified and dynamically changing phenomenon. Hence, Hungary’s role in migration flows has been changing over the past one and a half decades — since its transition from a communist country to a parliamentary democracy. During that period, Hungary changed from a country producing migrants — and during the middle of the twentieth century, also refugees — to a country essentially of transit and receiving. Today, Hungary is at the crossroads of two of the four main migration routes leading to the EU: the East and the South-East migration routes. Hungary has very positive experiences regarding regional initiatives and intergovernmental forms of cooperation dealing with migration. We support a multi-faceted international coordination process and the elaboration of an international consultative forum based on the cooperation of Governments. We are happy to work closely with all United Nations Member States to cooperate on the idea of a global migration forum. We strongly believe that an international structure involving interested United Nations Member States can build on the extremely important experiences of regional consultative processes. However, Hungary cannot support the creation of another agency or organization; instead, we encourage further cooperation of already existing international organizations and regional initiatives. It was our pleasure to host the Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) Regional Hearing for Europe in November 2004. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the members of the Global Commission and the staff of the GCIM secretariat for their great work performed during the elaboration of the GCIM report and thereafter. Migration issues are related to several policy areas of outstanding importance. Those areas include, among others, poverty alleviation, state sovereignty, individual fundamental rights, global economy and employment, environment issues and health and security. It is hardly possible to cover all the connections to those areas in a high-level discussion such as the present one. This High-level Dialogue has to deal with both horizontal and more technical issues. However, it is of great importance to focus primarily on the practical aspects of the positive connection between migration and development. Hence, we believe it is essential to cover enhancement of the development impact of migrant remittances, sharing best practices of circular migration schemes and coordination of the follow-up to the present event. The first discussion of migration issues under the auspices of the United Nations must present all relevant approaches to and aspects of those issues, in order to show the colourful picture of the international migration landscape. Although we are all familiar with the fact that the landscape also includes numerous alarming points, I hope that, by mutual extension of each other’s viewpoints, delegations will find ways to use migration and development issues for their common benefit and to produce concrete results as soon as possible.

I now give the floor to Her Excellency The Honourable Teopolina Mushelenga, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration of Namibia.

Madam President, allow me, on behalf of my delegation, to congratulate you on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. I would like to assure you of my delegation’s full support and cooperation. My delegation is very pleased to participate in the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. This important forum offers Member States an opportunity to address one of the global challenges facing the world today: international migration. We welcome the opportunity to discuss and further reflect on these issues, which have both common and different implications for our countries and, indeed, for the world at large. In that regard, Namibia reiterates its full support for the African Common Position on Migration and Development, adopted in Banjul. In the same vein, Namibia would like to align itself with the statement made by the Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Migration is multifaceted and complex, affecting and affected by human security; economic, social and political developments; gender inequality; and many other processes. Therefore, responses to migration must be comprehensive, contextually appropriate and cognizant of both the contributions and effects of migration in terms of development, security and political stability. It is also important to take into consideration the fact that the majority of migrants worldwide are women and that, in many places, they outnumber male migrants. Gender inequality contributes to the forced migration of, and trafficking in, women and girls. The foundation of Namibian immigration policy is our desire to promote development with equity and to manage migration in order to ensure that it contributes to our overall development objectives and does not undermine the progress we have made so far. We therefore seek to attract sustainable and suitable investment in the country, to import specific skills and to transfer them to Namibians. We also believe that those who come can learn new skills from us that they will eventually take with them. We are realists and therefore recognize that an immigration policy in today’s world should also address the security concerns of both receiving States and migrants. We will need to find ways to ensure that neither a State’s security nor its obligations to guarantee social, economic, security and safety to its citizens are compromised. We recognize the positive effects that migration can have on the economic development of both countries of origin and countries of destination. However, we are convinced that the migration of skilled persons acts as a drain on a country of origin, because it results in the loss of the investment made in their training. We therefore hope that this High-level Dialogue will provide us with the best ideas to help us formulate policy guidelines that ensure that the “brain gain” in some countries does not mean a “brain drain” in others. In that regard, we recognize the need for more cooperation between States and non-State actors to maximize the development benefits derived from migration. We welcome the participation of the private sector, non-governmental organizations and civil society in this Dialogue. Some migration is fuelled by instability and uncertainty. While many are searching for places where economic and social conditions are better, others are simply searching for a place where they can be safe. In the southern African region, the asylum/migration nexus is an increasing problem. Over approximately the past decade and a half, southern Africa has been transformed from a sending region into a receiving region. Namibia, with its long history of United Nations support and its own experience of exile, continues to respect the institution of asylum and refugee rights. At the same time, we seek to promote the voluntary repatriation of those refugees who can return to countries to which stability and peace have now returned. In the near future, we will also look at the issue of the local integration of a yet-to-be- determined number of refugees — long-term residents who no longer have ties to their countries of origin or are unable to return for other reasons and who can contribute to our national development objectives. Namibia, along with other African countries, has been considering legal and normative frameworks for the promotion of safe and managed migration. An important guiding instrument is the Southern African Development Community Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons. That instrument, however, needs to be buttressed by good practices. One of the recommendations of a comprehensive study done by the Global Commission on International Migration calls for bilateral agreements as a means to address migration issues that affect two States. In that regard, Namibia has agreements with our neighbouring States Angola and Zambia to allow members of communities along the common border to have freedom of movement within a limited area inside each country, with the simple requirement of a border pass. Such arrangements encourage cross-border trade, cultural exchanges and harmonious relations between and among States. Finally, Namibia hopes that this Dialogue will be not an end in itself, but the beginning of multilateral discussions that will help the international community to find solutions to this challenging issue. This Dialogue should also look at the capacity of receiving States with a view to helping them better manage the challenges posed by migration. In that regard, the need for technical and humanitarian assistance for developing countries should be recognized and addressed. Namibia accordingly welcomes and supports the proposal of the Secretary-General to establish an international forum for dialogue on migration and development.

I now give the floor to His Excellency The Honourable Delano Franklyn, Minister of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica.

It is my special honour to congratulate you, Madam, on your recent election as President of the General Assembly. The United Nations mission to ensure gender parity is clearly bearing fruit. This Dialogue on migration and development is quite timely, and Jamaica wishes to associate itself from the very outset with the statement made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on this important subject. Migration policies must be approached in a comprehensive manner, given the multidimensional nature of the phenomenon. We should therefore avoid the growing tendency to focus only on security and border control issues. Other important concerns — such as the human rights of migrants, identifying solutions to the negative impact of the brain drain and enhancing cooperation on issues related to migration and mobility — are among those that should also be given equal treatment. Over the past four decades, Jamaica has experienced a rate of approximately 20,000 nationals migrating annually. For Jamaica, one of the positive spin-offs of migration is the increase in receipts from remittances, growing from less than $100 million in 1990 to $1.65 billion in 2005. That represents 16 per cent of Jamaica’s gross domestic product. Within the same period, poverty was reduced from 28.4 per cent to 14.8 per cent. It can therefore be concluded that in Jamaica there is a direct correlation between the reduction in poverty and the increase in the inflow of remittances. A strategy is required to maximize the continued increase in the inflow of remittances for national development. I put forward the following policy initiatives for consideration: first, facilitating and stimulating short-term labour migration through bilateral agreements, secondly, decreasing the costs of formal transfers by stimulating more competition in the market, and thirdly, developing creative synergies between banks and microfinance institutions. Remittances should in no way, however, be seen as a reward for the migration of trained professionals. Such a conclusion would be wrong, since remittances, as significant as they are, cannot adequately replace the loss of skilled human resources. Jamaica and the other countries of the English- speaking Caribbean have a very high rate of loss of tertiary-level graduates to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. It is estimated at over 60 per cent annually in the case of Jamaica. In that context, Jamaica supports the proposal for co-development. There is a compelling case to be made for the developed countries to make some financial contribution to developing countries in order to offset some of the costs incurred in the training of those graduates. Co-development partnerships must be linked with an element of training so that local personnel can take over when experts leave. The growing importance of migration makes it imperative that the rights of migrants be protected. While there are some bilateral agreements which offer such protection, it remains an area of major concern to Jamaica. As a result, steps are currently being taken by the Government of Jamaica to become a party to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990). Gender is also a key dimension of international and regional migration. Men generally dominate initial immigration flows and are later joined by female family members and children. Nearly half of all international migrants are women. The data for the Caribbean is consistent with that finding, where throughout the Caribbean, women represent 52 per cent of all migrants, and men 48 per cent. The gender transformation arising from emigration is having an impact on family structures and networks. Women are vulnerable to gross abuses and exploitation, particularly those in domestic employment, and are also more likely to suffer gross violations of their rights. The beneficial outcomes of migration for women critically depend on respect for the rights enshrined in the core human rights instruments. The Jamaican diaspora plays a significant role in national development. The fundamental objective of the Government of Jamaica is to identify and organize members of the Jamaican diaspora in the various countries and develop a permanent and structured link with Jamaica. One element of this is a two-yearly diaspora conference in Jamaica. A second consists in organizing the various communities in the host countries to allow for democratic and accountable representation. Jamaica also has the intention to create a joint select committee of both Houses of Parliament. That initiative will elevate matters relating to the diaspora to the legislative level. Jamaica is of the view that this High-level Dialogue must not stop here. What is critical, however, is to build on its outcome so that talk can be followed up by action. We strongly recommend that follow-up should promote policy research and analyses on migration and development, with the imperative to formulate and implement appropriate actions.

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Isikia Rabiei Savua, chairman of the delegation of Fiji.

This first multilateral attempt to address the issues of migration and development on a global level should begin with a sustained constructive dialogue and cooperation to identify appropriate ways to accentuate benefits and remove deleterious factors. Fiji supports meaningful efforts to promote a balanced and comprehensive approach to international migration and development, by building partnerships and ensuring coordinated actions to develop capacities, including the management of migration. The report of the Secretary-General contains a number of important observations. It identifies migration as a key component of the globalization process. It also states that international migration is a constructive force for development, both in countries of origin and in countries of destination, and calls for sustained dialogue. We endorse the sentiments of the Secretary-General, that international cooperation is indeed crucial, if we are to achieve a win-win situation through the establishment of a United Nations forum for dialogue on international migration. We believe that such a forum would stimulate Governments to look at the issues of migration and development in a holistic manner and add value to activities undertaken at the bilateral and regional levels. The complexities and interlinkages between migration, development and security call for careful consideration of the impact of migration. Migration policies should be focused on comprehensive security and must be complementary to sustainable development policies. Developing countries need pragmatic solutions to their development challenges in order to ensure the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We reiterate that poverty, population growth, underdevelopment and lack of opportunities contribute to the “pull and push” factors in migration. Remittances, one of the developmental impacts of international migration, and one which has great potential as a development impetus, should be facilitated in a reliable, quick, economical and legal manner. The need to address and promote conditions for cheaper, faster and safer transfer of remittances should be seriously addressed. However, remittances should never be considered as a substitute for investment, trade, aid and debt relief to address the MDGs and underdevelopment. Allied to that is the need to strengthen the diaspora communities and ensure their involvement in the development process. Also important are issues that would require our continued attention, including managing temporary labour migration, increasing the benefits while mitigating the costs of the migration of skilled personnel, engaging transnational communities in the development process of countries of origin, making return migration an asset, the best way to collaborate in reducing and preventing the smuggling of and trafficking in persons, benefiting from the opportunities of the globalization of education, preventing the exploitation of migrants, and the importance of fostering a secure, regular and orderly process of migration. The Dialogue must ensure that ample opportunities are accorded to migrants so that their rights and freedoms are not compromised. Migrants should continue to be the focus of the migration debate. Women and children constitute the majority of migrants. They continue to be disadvantaged, and this Dialogue must adopt measures to reduce their vulnerability, exploitation and abuse. Migration is a global issue and will grow in importance. We must address it as such. We should neither downplay its significance nor ignore it completely, as that will only worsen an already challenging situation. The success of the Dialogue will depend on how we can achieve a win-win situation that benefits the migrants and responds to the needs of both the countries of origin and countries of destination.