Addis Ababa, 23 May 2018 (ECA) - Members of the High-Level Panel on Migration in Africa (HLPM) headed by former Liberian President - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - will converge in Geneva from 28 to 29 May to advance their strategies on harnessing migration for African development in the context of international cooperation.
The meeting is expected to provide inputs and comments to facilitate the finalization of a report by the Panel, which is aimed at raising awareness on migration issues, opportunities and challenges in Africa as well as affirming Africa’s commitment to global objectives and values on migration.
Thokozile Ruzvidzo, who heads the Social Development Policy Division at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), explained that the Panel’s work is expected to enhance the potential of African migration by “making migration policies development-sensitive and development policies migration-sensitive.”
“The panel is expected to come up with actionable commitments that will lead to the successful implementation of its work plan and engagement with continental and global processes on international migration,” added Ms.Ruzvidzo.
HLPM was launched on 6 June 2017 and is made up of 16 eminent members, including representatives of governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society - from different regions of the world.
The Panel works 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, taking into account the particular challenges of countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.
Once endorsed by relevant African Union (AU) decision-making bodies, including the Executive Council, the HLPM report will be submitted to the AU Heads of State and Government Summit in January 2019.
The meeting will be attended by all HLPM members as well as the Technical Committee and secretariat involved in the implementation and monitoring of the Panel’s work plan. Partners in Europe including the International Organization on Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) will also be represented at the meeting.
The event will take place at the IOM headquarters in Geneva.
Issued by:
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Economic Commission for Africa
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