Bamako, August 13, 2021 (ECA) - The Subregional Office for North Africa of the Economic Commission for Africa held on Wednesday August 12, 2021, a workshop on the issues of migration statistics and migrant skills recognition in Mali.
The meeting aimed to present the work plan and methodology of studies on both topics, consult with the working group's and with national and international partners for a better understanding of national migration policies.
In her opening speech, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Malians Abroad and African integration Ms. Tangara Néma Guindo stressed the importance of improving the global management of migratory movements: “the highest authorities in our country have made this a top priority. This is why Mali has participated in all phases of negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration,” she said.
“The Republic of Mali is strongly committed to the implementation of this Pact: it has adopted a national action plan for its implementation, and the 23 objectives of the Pact are perfectly consistent with the objectives of the National Migration Policy”, she added.
About 80% of African migration takes place within the continent presently. Unfortunately, most African countries do not have sufficiently robust migration policies, nor data collection systems that can provide them with the information needed for the design of fact based and therefore more effective policies. Likewise, while migrant integration has always happened naturally due to Africa's well-known tradition of hospitality, there is a need now for it to become better structured, especially through better skill recognition, so migrants can actively contribute to their host countries’ development, said Sarah Boukri, migration Program Manager at the ECA Office for North Africa.
“Mali is well aware of the existing link between migration and development, and has put in place many initiatives as part of its migration management strategy such as the one-stop shop for business creation, the signing of agreements with several countries, etc. Beyond the studies and reports, this program aims to generate an exchange around these important issues which are the recognition of skills and migration statistics at the national level, both between relevant departments but also at the continental level”, she added.
The workshop took place with the participation of high-level representatives of the Mali ministries of Foreign Affairs, Employment, Scientific research and Health and Social Affairs, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), research institutes and other key stakeholders.
This project is currently being carried out as part of ECA's support to African countries for the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the implementation of both Agendas 2030 and 2063 as per the recommendations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). It is currently carried out in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe with the aim to strengthen these countries’ capacity to design or improve their migration policies.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
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Addis Ababa
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