High-Level Panel On Migration Convenes Dialogue On African Perspectives in the Global Compact

6 December 2018
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United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Addis Ababa)

Marrakech — The High-Level Panel on Migration in Africa (HLPM), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC), will jointly convene a side event under the theme: "Synergies between the High Level Panel on Migration and the Global Compact on Migration" on Saturday 8 December in Marrakech (Kingdom of Morocco), in the run up to the Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for Migration for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in Marrakech, Morocco (10-11 December 2018).

Against the prevailing public perception of waves of Africans trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, the event aims to highlight an alternative vision that is informed by the true facts about African migration - both within the region and internationally - and acknowledges migration as an intrinsic part of development processes on the continent. The discussions will focus on key areas of convergence in the objectives of the HLPM and GCM, especially with regard to lifting visa barriers to enhance regular migration, and integrating established migrant populations in destination countries.

Several high-level officials will take part in this event, including HLPM Chair Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Ahmed Husen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Canada; Cynthia Samuel-Olunjowon, Regional Director for Africa, International Labour Organization (ILO); Knut Vollebaek, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Norway and Caroline Wanjiku Kihato, Migration Expert.

The following ministers from four African member states will provide the perspectives and experiences of their countries: Hassan Omar Mohamed, Minister of the Interior (Republic of Djibouti), Yaya Sangare, Minister for Malians Abroad and African Integration (Republic of Mali), Sekai Irene Nzenza, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, (Republic of Zimbabwe) and Gatarayiha Francois Régis-Director General on Immigration and Emigration (Republic of Rwanda).

The discussions will be guided by findings and recommendations contained in the recent HLPM report, 'African Migration Facing Facts, Embracing Opportunities and Mitigating Challenges.' Once endorsed by relevant African Union decision-making bodies, the report will be submitted to the AU Heads of State and Government Summit in January 2019 for adoption.

Set up in January 2017, one of the core mandates of the 15-member HLPM is to work in consultation with relevant constituencies at national, regional and global levels to come up with recommendations on how to build and sustain broad political consensus on an implementable international migration development agenda.

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What: Synergies between the High-Level Panel on Migration and the Global Compact on Migration

When: Saturday 8 December 2018 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm

Where: Palmeraie Room, Palmeraie Golf Palace, Marrakech

Read the original article on UNECA.

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