Commissions whole of government, society approach
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia has achieved notable progress in areas of migration governance through streamlined national policies, legal and institutional frameworks, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.
MoJ Minister Gedion Timothwos (PhD) made the above remarks yesterday at the intergovernmental conference convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The minister noted that the government has also identified priorities from the 23 objectives of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and selected 10 priority objectives in line with its national priorities to accelerate implementation progress thereby achieving notable progress in all aspects of migration governance.
With the adoption of this first global document on migration, member states committed to promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, He remarked that the compact highlights the rights and well-being of migrants and promotes global standards and practices for global migration governance.
The GCM offers an important opportunity for member states to address all aspects of their migration governance comprehensively as Africa is a hub for dynamic and complex human mobility characterized by mixed and irregular migration, the minister noted.
Gedion said: “Ethiopia, as a source, transit and destination country for migrants, played a key role in the GCM process from its inception throughout its development and adoption through mainstreaming the priorities into national policies and programs in conjunction with the SDGs.”
Moreover, he indicated that the country became the first Champion Country of the GMC in 2020 in the Horn of African region.
For her part, AU Commission, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Ambassador Minata Samate stated that the issue of migration seeks special considerations of the AU, member states and regional economic communities as it has been exacerbating causing the increasing violation of migrants.
She stressed that the GCM is important to strengthen migration at all levels to meet the aspirations of Agenda 2063, decent jobs and the wellbeing of African fellows.
Calling for international actors to fight the migration violations, she underscored that, “Migration is an opportunity for the continent and transit countries and destination countries to benefit.”
She reiterated that the AU stands firm to support the member states, regional economic communities to further consolidate with the issues.
It is also stated that it is impossible to have free trade without free citizens.
International Organization for Migration and Coordinator of the UN Network on Migration Director General Amy Pope highlighted that when migration becomes part of the national strategy and built in every angle of engagement, the powerful catalyst for change and development.
“Without the movement of people, we could not have the tremendous goals of development of our civilization, the existing prosperity and various accomplishments across the world.”
Reaffirming commitments to back the implementations of the GCM in financial, technical and resources to integrate migration managements and maximizing the tremendous human potential in the continent to accelerate the socioeconomic development, the DG also said that strengthening regular migration frameworks and bilateral agreements would help safeguard migrant’s rights.
BY ASHENAFI ANIMUT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER 2024
