Drivers of migration

Thematic session two: Addressing drivers of migration, including adverse effects of climate change, natural disasters and human-made crises, through protection and assistance, sustainable development, poverty eradication, conflict prevention and resolution

ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 22-23 May 2017

Background documents

 

Side events

 

Organization of work

Monday, 22 May 2017
Time Session
10:00 - 10:15

Opening Segment

Welcoming remarks by the co-facilitators

  • H.E. Mr. Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations
  • H.E. Mr. Juan José Gómez Camacho, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations

Remarks by Ms. Louise Arbour, Secretary-General of the intergovernmental conference

10:15 - 13:00

Panel 1. Sustainable development and poverty eradication

This panel will identify development approaches that address poverty, underdevelopment, lack of opportunities and access to services that create conditions
for balanced, sustainable and inclusive economic growth and employment, reducing vulnerabilities at all stages of migration. The panel will explore how well-governed and well-informed migration policies can harness the development benefits of migration to alleviate poverty, reduce inequality and realize the full potential of the 2030 Agenda for migrants and communities.

  • Dr. Mariama Awumbila, Head of the Centre for Migration Studies and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana
  • Mr. Rex Varona, East and Southeast Asia Coordinator of Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA)
  • Ms. Susan Martin, Professor Emerita of International Migration at Georgetown University

Moderators: H.E. Mr. Sabri Boukadoum, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Carlos Duarte, Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations

 

13:00 - 15:00  Lunch / Space for side-events
15:00 - 17:50

Panel 2. Human-made crises as drivers of migration

This panel will examine policy options for a more concerted focus on prevention of human-made crises, for example, through preventive diplomacy, conflict prevention, resolution, joint humanitarian-development and peacebuilding efforts, etc. The panel will advance ways to build peaceful and secure environments in communities of origin, transit and destination.

  • M. Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie, Executive Director and co-founder of the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD)
  • M. T. Alexander Aleinikoff – Director of the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School
  • Ms. Roula Hamati - Head of research and Advocacy at INSAN Association

H.E. Ms. Riitta Resch, Ambassador for Global Migration Issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and H.E. Mr. Jürgen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations

 

17:50 - 18:00 Closing remarks by the co-facilitators

 

Tuesday, 23 May 2017
Time Session
10:00 - 10:05

Welcoming remarks by the co-facilitators

  • H.E. Mr. Juan José Gómez Camacho, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations
  • H.E. Mr. Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations
10:05 - 13:00

Panel 3. Adverse effects of climate change and natural disasters as drivers of migration

This panel will explore ways that i) minimize the adverse effects of environmental degradation, climate change and disasters on migration and ensure effective
preparedness and response mechanisms, while harnessing the potential benefits of safe, orderly and regular migration, and ii) link relevant international migration,
climate change, environment, humanitarian and development policy frameworks to ensure complementarity and coherence in addressing climate change, hazard-related risks and associated migration pressures at the global, regional and national levels.

  • Mr. François Gemenne, FNRS Senior research associate and Director at the University of Liège
  • Ms. Susana Adamo, Research scientist at the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (The Earth Institute, Columbia University)
  • Professor Walter Kaelin, Envoy of the Chairmanship of the Nansen Initiative

Moderator: H.E. Mr. Aunese Makoi Simati, Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the United Nations

13:00 - 15:00 Lunch / Space for side-events
15:00 - 17:50

Summary Panel: Synopsis of the main conclusions and outcomes

  • Moderators present the key recommendations resulting from their panels 
  • Professor Binod Khadria, Professor at the Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies, thematic expert for this second informal thematic session, provides a short overview of the main discussions
  • Interactive exchange between the moderators, the thematic expert, the Secretary General of the intergovernmental conference and Member States on the outcomes of the session
17:50 - 18:00 Closing remarks by the Co-facilitators

 

Statements from the floor

Member States

Armenia (panel 1) European Union (panel 1) New Zealand (panel 1 - 3)
Armenia (panel 2-3) European Union (panel 2) Norway (panel 1)
Bangladesh (panel 1) European Union (panel 3) Norway (panel 2)
Bangladesh (panel 2) European Union (panel 4) Norway (panel 3)
Bangladesh (panel 3) Finland (panel 4) Norway (panel 4)
Brazil (panel 4) Germany (panel 1) Philippines (panel 1)
Canada (panel 1-4) Germany (panel 2) Philippines (panel 2)
China (panel 1) Germany (panel 3) Philippines (panel 3)
China (panel 2) Guatemala (panel 2) Slovenia (panel 3)
China (panel 3) Guatemala (panel 3) Sweden
Costa Rica (panel 1) Holy See (panel 1) Switzerland (panel 1)
Costa Rica (panel 2) Holy See (panel 2) Tuvalu (panel 3)
Costa Rica (panel 3) Hungary (panel 1) United Arab Emirites (panel 3)
Cuba (panel 2) Lebanon (panel 2)  

Stakeholders

FAO, IFAD and WFP (panel 3) IOM (panel 1) UNWomen (panel 4)
ILO (panel 1) IOM (panel 3) UNEP (panel 3)
ICRC OHCHR (panel 4) UNHCR (panel 2-3)
IFRC Refugees International (panel 3)  

Other inputs

Germany UNICEF
Republic of Korea